Police Interrupt Prison Drone Delivery

A Texas man is accused of using a drone to try to drop cell phones and other contraband into a federal prison.

Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at 12:20 PM ET

Verified

Turner was allegedly operating a “hexacopter” drone like this one, with a maximum payload of 12 pounds. [Courtesy: U.S. Department of Interior]

Key Takeaways:

A federal grand jury indicted Davien Phillip Turner in Beaumont, Texas, for attempting to use a drone to smuggle contraband into a federal prison.
Turner faces charges for owning/operating an unregistered drone and acting as an airman without a certificate, after being found near the Federal Correctional Complex with a drone and bags containing items like cell phones, tobacco, and tools.
This incident is part of a "disturbing trend" of drones being used to deliver illegal items to inmates nationwide, with Turner facing up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.

See a mistake? Contact us.

A federal grand jury has indicted a man in Beaumont, Texas, after police said they caught him trying to use a drone to fly contraband into a prison.

The indictment charged Davien Phillip Turner, 44, with owning or operating an unregistered drone and serving or attempting to serve as an airman without an airman’s certificate, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Texas, announced Tuesday.