Correctional officers face ‘nightly battle’ as drone drops surge across state facilities

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - A drone drop at one Midlands prison last month made national headlines. Crab legs, steak, Old Bay seasoning, and marijuana were among the items delivered to the Lee Correctional Institution.

Investigators say the man responsible is 23-year-old Ishmael Taylor. He’s charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana and introducing contraband into the prison.

Correctional officers are seeing hundreds of these drone drops every day. South Carolina Department of Corrections Director Joel Anderson calls it an assault on prison security.

“We fight this battle every day,” Anderson said. “It’s a terrible thing that we have to not only maintain custody in the incarcerated world, but now we have to watch what comes in from the outside every night. We get slaughtered every night.”

The numbers tell the story. In 2024, there were 250 drone drops. Last year, that climbed to 254, but officials believe the real number is much higher.

“It could be well over 300, 350, those that we don’t see in the middle of the night that never make it in,” Anderson said. “We find drones crashed in the woods outside of the penitentiary. We find drones crashed at the bases of the fences. We find drones crashed in the yard.”

Lee Correctional Institution in Lee County is being hit the hardest, with 49 drone intrusions last year alone. Other Midlands facilities also saw significant activity in 2025:

• Turbeville Correctional Institution: 35 drone intrusions

• Broad River Correctional Institution: 19 drone intrusions

• Kershaw Correctional Institution: 16 drone intrusions

• Camille Graham Correctional Center: 4 drone intrusions

• Wateree River Correctional Institution: 4 drone intrusions

Each one carried illegal contraband, including phones, drugs, and other items that pose a security risk.

The challenge is that drone technology is evolving faster than security can keep up. Anderson says today’s drones can fly longer, faster, and carry up to 35 pounds of contraband.

Anderson says he needs more hands on deck to combat the issue. Right now, there’s a 48% vacancy rate across the state.

“It’s a constant battle,” Anderson said.

Correctional officers can’t shoot down these drones, but they can put up their own drones to detect and catch any threats. Anderson says he’s actively searching for new security technology to stay ahead of the curve.

He also says he’s waiting on the FAA to sign off on a program that can help the fight against drones.

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