TWO MEN have been jailed for 18 and 14 months for using a drone to smuggle drugs into a prison.
Keanu Barnett from Coventry and Jordan Lee were part of a conspiracy to smuggle cannabis and other items into a prison in Nottinghamshire in 2020.
At the time the offences happened, officers investigating were led to the home address of Barnett, where they found a drone along with cannabis, tobacco, cigarette papers and with other items including mobile phones and a SIM card.
Further enquiries discovered the drone had been used in the vicinity of HMP Ranby in Nottinghamshire in November 2020 on the same day the officers visited Barnett’s address.
Messages between Barnett and Lee revealing Lee had been traveling from his home in Northampton to Barnett’s home in Coventry and the two would drive on to Ranby and fly the drone towards the prison.
A secret mobile phone was discovered in the prison being used by a prisoner, which contained details of bank transactions to both Lee and Barnett.
Both defendants were arrested and interviewed in late 2020, though neither answered any questions.
West Midlands Police officers were able to build a compelling case against them following extensive evidence gathering.
Both men were charged with conspiracy to bring a prohibited article into prison and pleaded guilty, being sentenced on December 4, this year at Warwick Crown Court.
PC James Rees from Coventry Proactive CID said: “This was a lengthy and detailed investigation which uncovered serious criminality.
“Smuggling drugs and other items into prisons is not only illegal, but continues the exploitation and misery of the people caught in the middle of it.”
