Two separate federal indictments have exposed an elaborate scheme involving 23 defendants accused of delivering drugs and cell phones to Georgia prisons using drones. The indictments were unsealed in U.S. District Court, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Georgia. The main charge for each indictment involves conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and methamphetamine; which, carries a statutory penalty ranging from 10 years to life in prison, and includes significant financial penalties and compulsory supervised release.
"These indictments identify networks of individuals determined to introduce into prisons controlled substances and other contraband that compromise the safety and security of individuals who are held in those facilities and those employed there," U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg stated. Operation Night Drop, under which the investigation was conducted, uncovered two separate networks that commenced their illegal activities as early as 2019 and persisted through July this year. Along with drones, other methods were used to facilitate these deliveries into Smith State Prison, Telfair State Prison, and various other Georgia state prisons, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The operation, involving coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement, nabbed a cache of 10 drones and 21 firearms. The indictment details the use of cell phones among the accused, to orchestrate the contraband's delivery and oversee conspirators' actions outside the facilities. Communications ranged from text messages to Facebook Messenger exchanges, comprising aerial images of prisons, drug quantities, and images of the drones and contraband in question.
The 15 defendants listed in USA v. Hall, et al., and the eight in USA v. Harris, et al., encompass a mix of currently and formerly incarcerated individuals, alongside those never in custody, each allegedly linked to the conspiracy. The statements included in the indictments paint a picture of a vast and coordinated effort to smuggle illicit items into state-run correction facilities. However, it is important to remember that criminal indictments contain only charges, the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
As the case moves forward, it will be prosecuted by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy P. Dean and Patricia G. Rhodes.
