Summerville man charged for using drone to fly in contraband to prison

RIDGEVILLE, S.C. (WCBD) — A Summerville man was recently arrested for trying to use a drone to fly in various contraband to a Dorchester County prison.

Damien Rakari Anderson, 25, was arrested and charged with providing prisoners with contraband, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and criminal conspiracy for allegedly conspiring with an inmate at Lieber Correctional Institution.

An arrest warrant says Anderson was pulled over near Lieber Correctional on Highway 78 and Campbell Thicket Road.

In the back seat of the vehicle, in plain view, officers saw an orange drone with an attached package containing 220 grams of marijuana. The warrant goes on to say probable cause stems from a photo of Anderson walking next to the prison carrying a drone and contraband package.

Anderson attempted to fly in marijuana, tobacco, cell phones, a knife, and other miscellaneous items that officers confiscated during arrest, said SCDC.

The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office assisted SCDC in this case.