Three Arrested in Latest Drone Contraband Drop at Georgia Prison as State Battles Escalating Smuggling Crisis

DAVISBORO, GEORGIA — Georgia law enforcement is again confronting a wave of high-tech prison smuggling after three men were arrested early Saturday near Washington State Prison with drone equipment and evidence of a contraband drop, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said the arrests occurred just after midnight on October 18, following reports of suspicious activity around the correctional facility in Davisboro. During a traffic stop, officers discovered a drone, batteries, and several tools used for illegal deliveries over prison walls.

Suspects Caught with Drone and Contraband Evidence

The three suspects — Travionne McKenzie, 30, of Dekalb; Michael Todd, 45, of Bankhead; and Joshua McKenzie, 33, of Carrollton — were charged with Trading with Inmates and Flying an Unmanned Aircraft. Officials said one suspect also received an additional traffic citation. The sheriff’s office confirmed the trio had equipment “consistent with prior drone drops,” adding that the suspects appeared to have planned a midnight contraband delivery targeting inmates inside the maximum-security facility.

Second Drone Smuggling Bust in Ten Days

The arrests come just ten days after four other men were caught attempting a similar drone drop at the same prison. Deputies in that earlier case seized marijuana, cellphones, a firearm, and another large drone. Washington County Sheriff Joel Cochran said the latest incident highlights how drones have quickly become the preferred tool for smugglers.

“It’s easier for them to use drones than to sneak items in the old-fashioned way,” Cochran said. “The technology has gotten better, and that means we have to work harder to stay ahead of it.”
Cochran said his deputies stopped 21 drone drops in 2024 alone, resulting in more than 40 arrests, and that the pace has only accelerated in 2025.

Drone Smuggling Becoming Statewide Crisis

Since 2022, the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) has recorded more than 1,000 drone-related incidents across state prisons — from sightings to full contraband deliveries. In 2024, those incidents led to the recovery of drugs, weapons, tobacco, and over 1,000 contraband cellphones, resulting in 540 felony arrests statewide. Authorities say gangs and organized crime groups now control a multi-million-dollar prison smuggling network powered by drones, which can fly several miles undetected while carrying packages of narcotics and electronics.

FCC Weighs New Tools to Fight Drone Smuggling

The timing of the arrests coincides with a major Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposal that could give prisons new powers to jam contraband cellphone signals used to control drones. Under the plan, which passed initial review on September 30, 2025, states would be allowed to deploy “targeted jamming” technology to block illegal transmissions near prison grounds without affecting legitimate communications. Georgia officials, including Attorney General Chris Carr, have strongly supported the move, arguing that inmate access to contraband phones is a key driver of the state’s drone epidemic.

“If you limit cellphone control ranges, you limit how far drones can operate,” Deputy Attorney General John Fowler told WGXA. “That’s the kind of prevention we need.”
If approved, the FCC measure could go into effect in early 2026, giving state prisons the ability to jam or track drone signals before they reach correctional property.

Technology Created the Problem — and May Have to Solve It

Officials say modern consumer drones are capable of carrying several pounds of contraband and flying miles beyond prison fences, leaving traditional security systems ineffective. Sheriff Cochran said the state is investing in counter-drone detection and surveillance systems but warned that the battle is far from over.

“We’re stopping what we can, but every time we make an arrest, more people try again,” Cochran said. “It’s a nonstop game of cat and mouse.”

Georgia corrections officials continue urging the public to report any suspicious drone activity near prison grounds as the state works to contain what experts now call one of the nation’s fastest-growing security threats. Stay informed with the latest state and local updates at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.