South Carolina police have charged 20 folks in an eight-month investigation into “drone assaults” on a state jail, investigators introduced Thursday.
Within the drone assaults, folks tried to fly medicine, weapons, money and different contraband into Lee Correction establishment close to Bishopville, SC, investigators mentioned.
“These massive drones can carry heavier and heavier packages,” Lee County Sheriff Daniel Simon mentioned. “We’re working laborious to cease them from getting within the fallacious palms.”
The Lee County Sheriff’s Workplace and the South Carolina Division of Corrections police power started the trouble to cease the smuggling operations in Might 2021, the companies mentioned. By August, police had arrested eight folks. In January, police arrested 12 extra, together with 5 on Jan. 30.
Within the drones-stopping effort, police mentioned they seized:
▪ About 100 kilos of tobacco
▪ About 13 kilos of marijuana
▪ About 843 grams of methamphetamines
▪ About 114 grams of crack cocaine
▪ About 49 grams of cocaine
▪ 25 cellphones
▪ Two knives
▪ Three weapons
▪ 12 drones
▪ $6,393 in money
▪ Packages that included quite a few charging cords, lighters, bottles of liquor, sweet and clothes objects
Police additionally discovered an deserted drone in woods close to Lee Correctional’s fence that held tobacco and practically 100 grams of meth.
On Sunday, two unrelated teams tried to fly drones carrying contraband into the jail grounds on the identical time, police mentioned.
In response to police, these charged and their expenses are:
▪ Morrell Godbolt of Marion: Contraband and felony conspiracy
▪ Anthony Bullard of Sumter: Contraband and felony conspiracy
▪ Buddy Berry Jr. of Greenville: Contraband and felony conspiracy
▪ Hezekiah Brown of Marion: Contraband and felony conspiracy
▪ Divine Scott of Sumter: Contraband, felony conspiracy and failure to cease for a blue mild.
▪ Cherish Lightner of Columbia: Trafficking in methamphetamines, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a weapon throughout the fee of a violent crime, trafficking in cocaine, trafficking cocaine base, contraband and failure to cease for a blue mild.
▪ Christopher Pretty of Sumter: Contraband, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, trafficking methamphetamines and felony conspiracy.
▪ Ashanta Bradley of Rembert: Contraband, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, trafficking methamphetamines and felony conspiracy.
▪ Tywuan Ford of Spherical O: Contraband, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, trafficking methamphetamines, felony conspiracy and failure to cease for a blue mild.
▪ Thomas Holbrooks of Gaston: Contraband and trespassing.
▪ Shia Younger of Yemassee: Possession of a sawed-off rifle.
▪ Cody Pearson of Rock Hill: Contraband, felony conspiracy, trafficking methamphetamines, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and trafficking cocaine.
▪ Devin Barksdale of Easley: Barksdale was arrested in two totally different raids. Costs embody trafficking methamphetamines, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, contraband and felony conspiracy.
▪ Rashell Tracy of Spartanburg: Contraband and felony conspiracy.
▪ David Herrington of Easley: Contraband and felony conspiracy.
▪ Michael Mijares of Pelion: Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, trafficking methamphetamines and felony conspiracy.
▪ Marcille Glover of Columbia: Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, trafficking methamphetamines, felony conspiracy and illegal conduct in the direction of a baby.
▪ Richard Marushia of West Columbia: Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, trafficking methamphetamines and felony conspiracy.
▪ Yah’Quann Gantt of Columbia: Trafficking methamphetamines and unlawfully carrying a pistol.
▪ Kolin Frazier of Easley: Trafficking methamphetamines and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
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