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Drone Smuggling Scheme Unfolds at Georgia State Prison
ATLANTA, GA – In a shocking case of brazen criminal activity, Cheik Hassane Toure, 24, of Marietta, Ga., has been sentenced to 12 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme to use a drone to smuggle contraband into a Georgia state prison.
Toure, who had been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since June 9, pleaded guilty to Serving or Attempting to Serve as an Airman Without an Airman’s Certificate. At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also ordered Toure to pay a $1,000 fine and to serve one year of supervised release after completion of his prison term.
Toure’s co-defendants, brothers George Lo, 27, of Powder Springs, Ga., and Nicholas Lo, 25, of Dallas, Ga., are serving 12 months in federal prison after also pleading guilty in the scheme. The prosecutions in the case are believed to be among the first in the nation under federal law regulating non-passenger aircraft.
According to court documents and testimony, George Lo was serving a state sentence for armed robbery at Telfair State Prison in Telfair County when he began conspiring with Nicholas Lo and Toure to own and operate a Storm Drone 4 kit-built unmanned aircraft without registration or licensing.
At 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 26, 2019, Telfair County Sheriff’s deputies observed an approaching vehicle turn off its lights about 100 yards from Telfair State Prison. During a search, deputies encountered Nicholas Lo and Toure in a wooded area between the road and prison. The pair possessed a large duffle bag containing the drone, a controller, a video monitor and a headset. In addition, the bag contained 14 cell phones, at least 74 grams of tobacco, a digital scale and earbud headphones.
“Federal laws and regulations related to owning and operating drones serve to ensure the safety of the public and our nation’s airspace,” said Todd Damiani, Special Agent-In-Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Southern Region. “Violating those laws while attempting to smuggle contraband into a state prison is a recipe for disaster.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Telfair County Sheriff’s Office. The Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Timothy C. Ward praised the outcome, saying, “We are pleased to see that justice has been served on these individuals for their role in attempting to introduce dangerous contraband into our facilities.”
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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