Authorities are looking into a sizable criminal organization that is reportedly employing commercial grade drones to drop narcotics and other stuff onto prison grounds, and many arrests have been made for supplying convicts with contraband.
Drop Drugs
On May 4, 2022, just before midnight, a drone carrying a cargo flew above a federal prison in Fort Worth.
It lingered for a moment before falling inside the protected area next to a construction business.
It had been launched by the “pilot” from a school close to the jail. That guy, Bryant LeRay Henderson, 42, was detained and later entered a guilty plea to trying to give a prisoner contraband. Authorities discovered the drone had entered the prison’s airspace three times before using data from the drone. Authorities said that during the same month, it conducted two flights over a separate federal penitentiary in Seagoville.
The instances weren’t one-of-a-kind. State and federal jail authorities across Texas and the country are finding that small, lightweight drones are a major concern. In addition to narcotics and tobacco goods, drones have come down on prison property carrying blades, wire cutters, and other equipment. According to the government, drone usage in prisons has more than doubled.
Federal investigators in North Texas claim to be looking into a sizable criminal gang that used sophisticated drones to fly under barbed wire barriers and into prison grounds. According to court documents, the defendants’ “commercial-grade drones” brought valuable contraband including narcotics, cell phones, and other highly sought-after commodities that prisoners use and resell.
In that lawsuit, which was filed in the Eastern District of Texas, more than 40 persons have so far been accused, including members of a white supremacist gang. According to court documents, the organization is also accused of killing people through drug overdose and making threats against witnesses. Investigators have seized multiple kilograms of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl pills, and synthetic marijuana as well as vehicles and about $150,000 in cash.
Drones
According to federal legislation, drones are categorized as aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration, which limits airspace over certain public and private structures, is in charge of their utilization.
According to the FAA, 1.5 million hobby drones were registered with the organization in 2021.
Drones are a great tool for police to use in the pursuit of fleeing criminals, the investigation of crimes, and the search for the missing or sought.
