Guard discovers package dropped by drone into prison yard, and the inmates’ holiday dinner plans are now ruined

A drone tried to deliver a fancy holiday dinner to inmates at Lee Correctional Institution in South Carolina. This wasn’t just a simple drop of drugs or phones. Someone sent a complete meal with raw steak and crab legs straight into the prison yard.

According to CBS News, the South Carolina Department of Corrections called it “Contraband Christmas” on X. The package had a raw steak still in store wrapping, several crab legs, and a tin of Old Bay seasoning. Someone really put effort into making this delivery special.

The drone also carried small bags of marijuana and cigarette cartons. Guards caught the drone on Sunday morning. Officials said it looked like inmates were planning a crab boil and steak dinner with their marijuana and cigarettes.

Prison officials are losing the battle against drone deliveries

Prisons spokeswoman Chrysti Shain joked about the strange find, saying the inmates waiting for the package are probably “crabby” now.

This incident shows how hard it is for prison officials to stop illegal items from getting inside. Years ago, people threw packages over fences or used catapults. Guards raised the fences and added nets on top to stop this. South Carolina has seen controversial healthcare decisions affecting women recently, showing the state’s complex legal landscape.

“Seems some folks were planning an early holiday Old Bay crab boil and steak dinner along with their marijuana and cigarettes: all dropped by a drone at Lee CI,” the SCDC announced on social media. 

Now, smugglers use drones instead. This creates a bigger problem for guards. They can’t just watch the fence anymore. They have to patrol the yard and watch the sky for small aircraft making drops.

The penalties for drone drops are serious. Flying a drone near a South Carolina prison is a misdemeanor with up to 30 days in jail. But dropping contraband into the prison is a felony that carries 10 years in prison.

Lee Correctional Institution is a high-security prison in Bishopville, about 50 miles east of Columbia. The facility has a violent history. Two inmates died there last week in separate attacks. In 2018, seven inmates died and 17 others were injured in a massive riot. 

South Carolina has been in headlines for bizarre neighbor sighting claims that captivated online attention. Officials worry that contraband like drugs causes violence and power fights inside. Police are investigating this drone incident, but no one has been arrested yet.