COLUMBIA, S.C. — Correctional officers across South Carolina are facing what officials describe as a “nightly battle” as drones increasingly drop contraband into state prisons.
A drone drop at Lee Correctional Institution in December drew national attention after officers recovered an unusual mix of gourmet items, including crab legs, steak, Old Bay seasoning and marijuana. The South Carolina Department of Corrections said 23-year-old Ishmael Taylor is suspected of providing the drone drop and has been charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana and introducing contraband into a correctional facility, WIS reports.
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While the incident made headlines, prison officials say it reflects a much larger and growing problem.
SCDOC Director Joel Anderson said drone intrusions have become a routine threat to prison security.
“We fight this battle every day,” Anderson told WIS. “It’s a terrible thing that we have to not only maintain custody in the incarcerated world, but now we have to watch what comes in from the outside every night. We get slaughtered every night.”
Drone intrusions on the rise
Official numbers show at least 250 drone drops statewide in 2024, increasing to 254 in 2025. But Anderson told WIS he believes the true number is significantly higher.
“It could be well over 300, 350, those that we don’t see in the middle of the night that never make it in,” he said. “We find drones crashed in the woods outside of the penitentiary. We find drones crashed at the bases of the fences. We find drones crashed in the yard.”
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Lee Correctional Institution was hit hardest, with 49 drone intrusions reported in 2025 alone, WIS reports. Other Midlands facilities also saw repeated activity in 2025:
- Turbeville Correctional Institution: 35 drone intrusions
- Broad River Correctional Institution: 19 drone intrusions
- Kershaw Correctional Institution: 16 drone intrusions
- Camille Graham Correctional Center: 4 drone intrusions
- Wateree River Correctional Institution: 4 drone intrusions
Each incident involved illegal contraband, including cellphones, drugs and other items that pose serious safety and security risks for staff and incarcerated populations.
Technology outpacing staffing
Anderson said drone technology continues to evolve faster than correctional security can adapt. Modern drones can fly longer distances, move at higher speeds and carry up to 35 pounds of contraband.
Compounding the challenge is staffing. The South Carolina Department of Corrections is currently operating with a 48% vacancy rate statewide, WIS reports.
“It’s a constant battle,” Anderson said.
Correctional officers are prohibited from shooting down drones, but facilities can deploy their own drones and detection systems to identify and intercept threats. Anderson said the department is actively exploring new security technology to stay ahead of the problem.
He is also awaiting approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for a program that would expand the department’s ability to counter drone activity near prison facilities.
