Three Georgia men indicted for plan to smuggle drugs into prison by drone
Three Georgia men have been indicted after an attempt to smuggle drugs into a Georgia state prison by drone. The 37-year-old George Lo, an inmate at Smith State Prison in Glennville, 34-year-old Nicholas Lo, and 34-year-old Cheikh Toure are charged with conspiracy.
Three Georgia men indicted for plan to smuggle drugs into prison by drone
The Lo's are also charged with owning an unregistered aircraft that was operated, attempted to be operated, or allowed to be operated by another person. Nicholas Lo and Toure are charged with serving or attempting to serve as an airman without an airman's certificate, reports WTOC.
“Drone delivered Contraband, including cell phones, into correctional facilities, is an emerging threat endangering the safety of those inside and outside the prison walls,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our office works aggressively with law enforcement partners such as the Georgia Department of Corrections to crash-land these dangerous schemes.”
According to court documents, George Lo worked with Lo and Toure to create a plan that would involve the use of a drone to deliver contraband to the prison.
Telfair County Sheriff's Deputies spotted a vehicle parked about 100 yards away from the prison on August 26th, 2019. The deputies found Lo and Toure hiding in the woods with a large duffel bag. Inside the bag were a drone, a RadioLink AT95 UAS controller, a Spektrum video monitor, and a headset. In addition, the bag contained 14 cell phones, at least 74 grams of tobacco, a digital scale, earbud headphones, and firearm ammunition.
The two men were taken into custody and while Toure pled not guilty and remains free on bond, Lo is currently in the Hays State Prison.
“Simply put, the illicit use of drones for the distribution of contraband is dangerous and illegal,” said Todd Damiani, Regional Special Agent-In-Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. “We will continue to partner with law enforcement and prosecutors to pursue those who intentionally violate federal regulations for nefarious activities.”
Stay in touch!
If you'd like to stay up to date with all the latest drone News, scoops, rumors, and reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or…
Subscribe to our Daily Drone News email.*
Submit tips If you have information or tips that you would like to share with us, feel free to submit them here. Support DroneXL.co: You can support DroneXL.co by using these links when you make your next drone purchase: Adorama, Amazon, B&H, BestBuy, eBay, DJI, Parrot, and Yuneec. We make a small commission when you do so at no additional expense to you. Thank you for helping DroneXL grow! FTC: DroneXL.co uses affiliate links that generate income.
* We do not sell, share, rent out or spam your email, ever. Our email goes out on weekdays around 5:30 p.m.
Photo credit: Gray News
Get your Part 107 Certificate
Pass the test and take to the skies with the Pilot Institute. We have helped thousands of people become airplane and commercial drone pilots. Our courses are designed by industry experts to help you pass FAA tests and achieve your dreams.
FTC: DroneXL.co uses affiliate links that generate income.* We do not sell, share, rent out, or spam your email, ever. Our email goes out on weekdays around 5:30 p.m.
