Man tries using drone to get contraband in Texas prison, feds say. ‘Own little FedEx’
A man accused of using a drone to smuggle contraband — including tobacco and cellphones — into a federal prison in Texas has been indicted, prosecutors said.
Law enforcement officers responded to a call about a drone being used near the Federal Correctional Complex in Beaumont on May 19, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Texas.
Officers arrived and found a 44-year-old man with a drone, the release said.
The man — identified as Davien Phillip Turner of Houston — had several bags that, according to officials, he was attempting to drop into the prison by drone. The bags contained “ tobacco, cell phones, cell phone chargers, various tools, vape pens, and other items,” the release said.
Once inside the prison, the items would be sold by inmates, prosecutors said.
Authorities said that prisons across the nation have an ongoing problem with drones delivering contraband to inmates, the news release said.
At a news conference on July 12 recorded by KDFM, U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston said, “These items form an illegal currency in our prison systems.” Featherston said the illegal items cause “problems,” “disturbances,” “assaults” while endangering corrections officers, KDFM reported.
According to James Smith, Houston FBI Special Agent in Charge, the inmates “pretty much have their own little FedEx type of delivery system,” he said at a news conference recorded by KDFM.
Federal authorities charged Turner with operating an unregistered drone and functioning as an uncertified airman, according to the federal indictment filed on July 6.
Turner faces up to 3 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000, if convicted.
McClatchy News reached out to Turner’s attorney but did not receive an immediate response.
The Beaumont Federal Correctional Complex is about 100 miles northeast of Houston.
This story was originally published July 15, 2022 at 7:20 AM with the headline "Man tries using drone to get contraband in Texas prison, feds say. ‘Own little FedEx’."
