Drone repair shop owner after arrested, accused of helping gangs smuggle contraband into jails
Agents have uncovered what is believed to be the largest criminal operation of its kind in Georgia history involving drones dropping ecstasy, meth, guns, and cell phones into dozens of prisons. The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) has uncovered what they believe to be the largest criminal operation of its kind in Georgia history. Agents uncovered ecstasy, meth, guns, and cell phones at dozens of prisons. The investigation, "Operation Skyhawk," targeted a business called Thunder Drones in Gwinnett County and drone drops of drugs, cellphones, and more into prisons. If true, GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver anticipates Robert Schwartz, owner of the business, to be held in prison for an extended stay. The GDC also seized more than 50 drones in two simultaneous raids. The drug recovery led to the recovery of 51 pounds of what appears to be ecstasy, but many of the pills may contain deadly fentanyl. GDC Special Agent Gregg Phillips said the investigation stopped roughly 170 prison drops during the course of the investigation.
:quality(70)/d1hfln2sfez66z.cloudfront.net/03-28-2024/t_c4ba3c1e2efc444c9424d22fa0806f8f_name_6PP_PRISON_CONTRABAND_GA_PKG_transfer_frame_375.jpeg)
Publicerad : 4 veckor sedan förbi WSBTV.com News Staff i
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Agents have uncovered what they believe to be the largest criminal operation of its kind in Georgia history when they uncovered ecstasy, meth, guns, and cell phones at dozens of prisons.
A Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) special agent says “Operation Skyhawk” culminated Thursday with raids targeting one of many networks at the center of the investigation.
Those networks include one involving a business called Thunder Drones in Gwinnett County and drone drops of drugs, cellphones, and more into Georgia prisons.
Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Mark Winne was at Thunder Drones when employees were arrested in connection with “Operation Skyhawk.”
GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver says corrections agents thundered into Thunder Drones armed with a search warrant and arrest warrants for Robert Schwartz involving drone drops of contraband into Georgia prisons.
He says they seized more than 50 drones in two simultaneous raids, and if the allegations prove true in court, he anticipates Schwartz will be dropped into prison for an extended stay.
“This will be the largest gang RICO case in the history of the state of Georgia and it originated by the men and women here at the Georgia Department of Corrections,” Oliver said.
Oliver says prosecutors are working with GDC special agents to ask grand juries across the state to return RICO and gang indictments against Schwartz and many others.
“If you face gang and/or RICO charges, what’s your response?” Winne asked as agents took him away in handcuffs.
“All I do is repair drones. I’ve been doing, I’ve been repairing radio-controlled things for 50 years. I don’t know what they’re even here for,” Schwartz replied.
GDC Special Agent Gregg Phillips says the investigation which started in November 2022 led to the recovery of lots of drugs, including 51 pounds of what appeared to be ecstasy.
But while they are not lab-tested yet, Phillips says he believes many of the pills contained deadly fentanyl.
He says takedowns outside prisons during the investigation “Operation Skyhawk” yielded 22 guns he believes were intended for security for the drone operations and 273 cellphones, recovered before they made it into prisons.
• Man with no pants on sexually assaults women at metro Atlanta Kroger, police say
• Sexual assault suspect killed after opening fire on officers in Clayton County, police say
• Middle-schooler with AR-15 leads deputies on wild chase through Fayette County neighborhood
“We stopped roughly 170 prison drops during the course of the investigation,” Phillips said. “We’ve arrested 146 individuals associated with contraband drops. Out of those, eight of them are correctional officers, or were.”
Oliver said Thunder Drones employee Nelda Alber was also arrested on charges related to drone drops of contraband and inmate communications.
The second raid agents made was on Schwartz’s home.
GDC Office of Professional Standards Director Matt Wolfe said that while they were there, two men pulled into Thunder Drones parking lot and then tried to leave.
A search of their car turned up a stolen gun and one person was arrested.
Ämnen: Drones, Smuggling, Trafficking (Stolen Goods)