According to a recent post on X, the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) was busy over the holidays, with 24 separate drone incidents and 16 packages of contraband intercepted that were intended to be delivered to various prisons within the state. The incidents occurred between December 22nd and January 2nd.
Although an official inventory of what was intercepted was not provided, photographs on X include cellular telephones, chargers, tobacco, papers, and pictures of a DJI Inspire and Autel Evo drones. No information was provided regarding the arrests of any entrepreneur drone delivery pilots.
Separate from the incidents over the holiday period, the SCDC Inspector General released the arrest warrants for a former inmate from Pickens County, Devin Michael Barksdale, aged 31, on charges related to contraband involving a drone at Lieber Correctional Institution. Barksdale is accused of providing prisoners with contraband and participating in a criminal conspiracy.
During the arrest conducted on a road near the institution, officers seized a drone, tobacco, cell phones, jewelry, and other contraband items. Barksdale, with a history of 18 different crimes since 2011, had been released from prison in September 2023 and was under supervised reentry oversight in Pickens County when apprehended.
SCDC thanked the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office for their collaboration and assistance in the arrest.
See Also-
Counter-UAS Prison/Correctional Facilities Sector Page
Post Image Credit: SCDC via X
