Twelve individuals have been indicted in what federal authorities are calling the largest prosecution of its kind, involving an alleged conspiracy to use drones to smuggle contraband into ten federal prisons across eight states. The 17-count indictment, unsealed today, details a sophisticated operation that delivered drugs, cell phones, and weapons into correctional facilities.
The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Georgia on June 10 and unsealed on June 24, alleges that from September 2023 to May 2026, defendants used six drones for at least 38 drops. These drops targeted Federal Correctional Institute (FCI) Atlanta, FCI Beckley, FCI Jesup, Federal Medical Center (FMC) Lexington, FCI Manchester, FCI Memphis, Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Petersburg, FCI Pollock, FCI Talladega, and FCI Yazoo City. Contraband included methamphetamine, marijuana, K-2, suboxone, saw blades, cell phones, and tobacco.
Ira Christopher Jackson, 42, of Macon, identified as a central figure, allegedly used a former daycare center, dubbed "The Lab," to store items and launch drones. Five of the drones were reportedly activated near "The Lab" before drops. Kenna Middleton, Leviticus Blash, Chrystal Dunn, Jeff Richardson, Tysean Richardson, Glenn Middleton, and Xavier Maxwell are also charged with various roles, including flying drones, transporting contraband, acting as lookouts, and communicating with inmates.
Inmates Aaron Hubbard, Lametheus Douglas, and Robert Lee Whisby, Jr., along with former inmate James Phillips, are accused of using contraband cell phones to schedule these drops from inside the prisons. The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) utilized a drone detection system that provided alerts, including drone make, model, ID, launch location, flight path, and altitude, aiding the investigation.
U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes, along with officials from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, FBI-Atlanta, and the Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, announced the charges. The defendants are currently in federal custody, and their initial appearances are pending in the U.S. Magistrate Court in the Middle District of Georgia. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.