MACON, Ga. — Federal prosecutors have charged 12 people in what the U.S. Department of Justice described as the largest criminal case it has brought involving the use of drones to smuggle contraband into federal prisons, alleging the group used unmanned aircraft to deliver drugs, weapons, cellphones and other prohibited items to inmates in multiple states.
The indictment, unsealed this week in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, alleges the conspiracy operated between September 2023 and May 2026 and targeted 10 federal correctional institutions across eight states, according to the Justice Department. Prosecutors said the defendants used heavy-payload drones to conduct dozens of nighttime deliveries coordinated with inmates who had access to contraband cellphones.
U.S. Attorney William Keyes said investigators believe the operation represents the most extensive drone-based prison smuggling enterprise prosecuted by the department to date.
“This indictment charges the most sophisticated and sprawling criminal enterprise using drones to introduce contraband into the federal prison system ever charged by the Department of Justice,” Keyes said during a news conference announcing the case.
According to the indictment, the organization allegedly operated from a former daycare center in Macon that investigators said served as a storage and staging location for drones and contraband. Authorities allege the defendants communicated with inmates to arrange deliveries before flying drones over prison grounds and releasing packages containing narcotics, tobacco products, cellphones, charging equipment and, in some cases, weapons.
The Bureau of Prisons said drone-assisted smuggling has become an increasing security concern because it can bypass traditional perimeter controls. Federal officials said the investigation involved the Bureau of Prisons, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and other federal and local law enforcement agencies.
Court records indicate the defendants face multiple federal charges related to conspiracy and introducing contraband into correctional facilities. The indictment contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Defense attorneys for the accused were not immediately identified in court records available on Thursday, and it was not immediately clear whether all defendants had entered pleas.
As of Thursday, several of the defendants had made initial court appearances, while additional proceedings were expected in federal court in Georgia. The Justice Department said the investigation remains ongoing but did not announce additional charges.
