3 men arrested in drone smuggling attempt at Washington State Prison
Jonathan James, William White, Dylan Scrutchins. Courtesy of Washington County Sheriff's Office
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ga. - Authorities in Washington County arrested three men Wednesday after they were caught using drones to attempt a contraband drop at Washington State Prison — the latest in a growing string of similar incidents.
What they're saying:
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were alerted to drone activity in the area on June 11 and began tracking the flight path. With assistance from K-9 units from both the sheriff’s office and the Georgia Department of Corrections, deputies located a group of suspects in a wooded area about two miles from the prison. One of the drones was still hovering overhead when the arrests were made.
Deputies arrested 32-year-old Dylan Scrutchins of Acworth, 37-year-old William White of Stone Mountain, and 51-year-old Johnathan James, who is homeless. All three face multiple felony charges, including:
- Six counts of trading with inmates
- Two counts of illegal use of an unmanned aircraft
- Possession of tools during the commission of a crime
- Possession of methamphetamine
- Possession of heroin
Despite previous arrests and warnings, authorities say attempts to smuggle contraband using drones continue.
Sheriff Joel Cochran vowed that his office, in coordination with state prison officials, will continue to treat each attempt as a serious offense and pursue charges to the fullest extent of the law.