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Drone flies over Ohio prison

It is unclear whether contraband was dropped

Associated Press

MANSFIELD, Ohio — A drone flew over a northern Ohio prison while inmates were outside in the recreation yard, officials said.

A spokeswoman with the Mansfield Correctional Institution told the News Journal the drone flew over the state prison Wednesday afternoon. Mansfield is about 65 miles southwest of Cleveland.

Drones are unmanned aircraft that are remotely controlled or fly autonomously using flight plans and a GPS.

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction spokeswoman JoEllen Smith said the incident is being investigated. It is unclear whether contraband was dropped, but the yard was cleared and a search was conducted. No further details were released.

Smith said there have been other instances of drones breaching security. She said the agency is taking steps to increase awareness and improve detection.

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