3 men arrested for attempted drone drop at Washington State Prison

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Three men were arrested for trading with inmates at the Washington State Prison on Wednesday, according to Washington County Sheriff Joel Cochran.

Deputies were made aware of drone activity near the prison on June 11. They later located the drones and responded to a wooded area nearly 2 miles from the facility.

According to a news release, Washington County’s K-9 and Georgia Department of Corrections K-9 units located the people flying the drones. Sheriff Cochran stated that one of the drones was actively hovering at the time of the arrests.

Deputies arrested 32-year-old Dylan Scrutchins of Acworth, 37-year-old William White of Stone Mountain, and 51-year-old Johnathan James.

The three men were charged with trading with inmates, illegal use of unmanned aircraft, possession of tools during the commission of a crime, and possession of methamphetamine.

Sheriff Joel Cochran released the following statement:

“You’d think they’d learn by now — but here we are again. Despite multiple arrests, warnings, and public reminders, we’ve had yet another attempted contraband drop at Washington State Prison. Same story, different day. Different method, same result: Caught. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office, working closely with the Georgia Department of Corrections, remains on high alert. Whether it’s a late-night drone flight, a sneaky drop-off near the fence line, or some “new” trick straight off the internet, we’re watching. We’re tracking. And we’re ready. We will continue to treat every single one of these incidents as a serious criminal offense — and we will pursue charges to the fullest extent of the law. So, to those still trying: keep it up. Your dedication to getting caught makes our job easier.”