Attorney General Alan Wilson pushes for state, local authority to combat illegal drone drops at prisons

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) –Attorney General Alan Wilson has joined a multistate effort to combat the alarming rise in drones that are illegally dropping contraband into prisons, including narcotics, weapons, cell phones, and other items.

Per federal law, only a narrow set of federal agencies are authorized to detect, track, and mitigate unauthorized drones. Meaning, correctional officials – who are on the front lines of this issue – often lack the legal authority and the necessary tools to intervene in real time. To address this gap, Attorney General Wilson and 20 other Attorneys General are asking the Trump administration to provide state and local law enforcement with the ability to disable or intercept drones before they reach the prison.

“I've continued to advocate for ways to keep illegal contraband out of our prisons,” Attorney General Wilson stated. “The public safety threat caused by these drone drops is one that our local and state authorities have no jurisdiction over. This needs to change so we can keep our facilities and communities safe.”

As stated in the letter: “This type of illegal activity is happening all over the country, and the consequences are severe. The introduction of drugs contributes to addiction, violence, and overdose incidents. Smuggled weapons heighten the risk of assaults and coordinated acts of violence. Contraband cell phones enable incarcerated individuals to continue criminal enterprises, including fraud schemes, witness intimidation, and violent crime.”

For this reason, the Attorneys General request that the Task Force, led by Dr. Gorka, work with federal agencies to grant carefully defined authority for state and local law enforcement to address this threat quickly and efficiently. They also recommend continued collaboration with federal partners to investigate and prosecute those who use drones to introduce contraband into correctional facilities.

In addition to Attorney General Wilson, the attorneys general of the following states have also signed on to this Georgia-led letter: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.

Find a copy of the letter here.