Two Georgia suspects are behind bars after allegedly attempting to use a drone to drop contraband — including drugs and cellphones — at a medium-security prison last week.
The incident unfolded May 3 after authorities at the Washington State Prison in Davisboro noticed “suspicious vehicle activity” and intercepted the alleged attempted drop, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post.
Deputies subsequently discovered several bags filled with approximately 2.95 pounds of marijuana, along with tobacco products, cellphones, clothing and electronics chargers, according to authorities.
The sheriff’s office said it also located razor blades hidden in a nearby field, and evidence linked the suspects to the drop location.
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Photos shared by the department show the large haul of contraband seized by authorities, including several bags of marijuana, rolling papers, wireless headphones and more than two dozen lighters.
The investigation led authorities to identify the individuals allegedly inside the vehicle as 17-year-old Mariana Torres and 19-year-old Anyela Contreas Torres, the department said.
Both suspects were subsequently taken into custody without incident and charged with using an unmanned aircraft to accomplish violations, possession of a drone during a crime, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, items prohibited by inmates, trading with inmates (phones), trading with inmates (drugs), trading with inmates (tobacco), possession of weapon during commission of crime and possession of tools during commission of crime, according to authorities.
In 2019, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp passed Senate Bill 6, which “prohibits the use of unmanned aircraft systems [drones] from delivering or attempting to deliver contraband to a place of incarceration.”
Despite the legislation, the prison and local jail are reportedly continuing to grapple with an uptick in contraband smuggling operations involving drones.
“Over the past four years or so, we have been dealing with drone sightings and drone incidents when it comes to bringing contraband into facilities,” Washington County Sheriff Joel Cochran told WGXA.
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In October, Cochran told the outlet his department had arrested 17 individuals for attempted drone drops since the start of 2025, and 75 of the 170 inmates at the Washington County Jail faced charges related to alleged prison deliveries.
“Right now, I’ve got 44% of my population in the county jail related to prison drop cases there at the Washington State Prison — 44 %. For me, that seems like a lot, and it’s a burden on the taxpayers,” Cochran reportedly said.
Cochran reportedly pointed to improvements in technology — including the ability to carry large payloads using drones — as a primary cause of the increased amount of drops.
“They got more functions, and the technology is so much better than when they started out,” Cochran told WGXA. “It’s easier, I think, for them to use drones than maybe go back to the older way of having to get the contraband into these facilities.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia Department of Corrections for comment.
