An eight-month investigation at a South Carolina jail has resulted within the confiscation of greater than 100 kilos of contraband and 20 arrests, the state's division of corrections introduced Thursday. The Lee County Sheriff's Workplace opened a probe into "frequent nighttime drone assaults" on the Lee Correctional Establishment in Bishopville in Might 2021.
Since then, officers have seized an estimated 100 kilos of tobacco, 13 kilos of marijuana, 843 grams of methamphetamines, 114 grams of crack cocaine, 49 grams of cocaine, 12 drones, three weapons, two knives, 25 cellphones and $6,393 in money. Authorities additionally found deserted drones within the woods close to the jail's fences that contained about 100 grams of meth and 5 kilos of tobacco.
Within the newest sting over the weekend, authorities arrested Morrell Godbolt, Anthony Bullard, Buddy Berry Jr., Hezekiah Brown and Divine Scott. They had been believed to be part of separate and unrelated teams attempting to fly drones over the jail's fences on the similar time, officers mentioned. Every suspect was charged with contraband and prison conspiracy, with Scott dealing with an addition cost of failure to cease for a blue mild.
Their arrests introduced the entire variety of individuals charged within the investigation to twenty. The opposite 15 suspects are dealing with a slew of prices together with drug trafficking and possession, contraband, prison conspiracy and trespassing.
Lee County Sheriff Daniel Simon mentioned one of many drones discovered this previous weekend was the biggest he is ever seen. "These giant drones can carry heavier and heavier packages. We're working arduous to cease them from getting within the improper arms," he mentioned.
In 2018, a battle on the similar South Carolina jail left seven lifeless and 17 different inmates injured. It was thought-about on the time to be the worst U.S. jail riot in 25 years.