A South Carolina man who tried to smuggle contraband into a prison with a drone is now behind bars, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Quinzell Robinson, a 47-year-old from Sumter, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Thursday in a news release.

At about 5 a.m. on March 14, 2025, law enforcement officers responded to reports of a drone flying near Lieber Correctional Facility in Ridgeville, according to the release. Investigators located Robinson leaving the woods near the prison with a drone and a bag, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

After reviewing surveillance footage, investigators learned that shortly after 5 a.m., a package was dropped onto prison grounds and retrieved by inmates, according to the release. Information about what was in the bag, and if the contraband was ever recovered, was not available.

Investigators searched electronic devices seized from Robinson, including the drone, and its flight data showed that it traveled to the location where the prison’s surveillance recorded the inmates recovering a package, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

A forensic analysis of a cellphone revealed aerial photographs of the close, or maximum security prison, as well as numerous web searches related to purchasing drones, and GPS data from where the drone was launched on March 14, 2025, according to the release.

Investigators also found several video recordings filmed on the device, including a video that appeared to show a flight over a correctional facility, and text messages with an inmate at Lieber about using drones to deliver contraband to the prison and anti-drone measures used by prisons, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

“We are under nightly attacks by drones dropping deadly drugs and other contraband onto our prison yards,” South Carolina Department of Corrections Director Joel Anderson said in the release. “I appreciate the courts and our law enforcement partners for holding him accountable.”

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel sentenced Robinson for knowingly and willfully operating an unregistered aircraft under Federal Aviation Administration laws.

This case was investigated by U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General, and the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Winston Holliday prosecuted the case. Public Defender James Adams was listed as Robinson’s lawyer when he was arrested on state charges from the incident, Dorchester County court records show.

“This case sends a clear message that those who attempt to use technology to undermine prison security will be investigated, prosecuted, and held accountable for their actions,” U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling said in the release.

©2026 The State. Visit thestate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.