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Texas Prisoner Indicted On Prison Yard Drone Drops

SHERMAN, Texas – U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston says the Eastern District of Texas arrested a prison inmate for federal violations related to a drone drop scheme.

Yeshmel James Wright, 35, of Dallas, is named in the 11-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas on Feb. 9, 2022. The indictment alleges the individuals conspired to use drones and mail to smuggle drugs and contraband such as cellular phones into prisons in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. They indicted 42 individuals on conspiracy to distribute narcotics, including heroin, methamphetamine, and synthetic marijuana, money laundering, firearms violations, operating an aircraft to further drug trafficking, and Hobbs Act robbery. The seizure has resulted in the seizure of multiple kilograms of methamphetamine, heroin, “M30” fentanyl pills, and synthetic marijuana. Additionally, they seized approximately $150,000 in cash, jewelry, and vehicles.

They charged Wright with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute synthetic marijuana. He appeared in federal court this week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine Nowak. If convicted, Wright faces up to life in federal prison.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. You can find additional information about the OCDETF Program at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating this case, Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Office of Inspector General, U.S. Marshals Service; IRS-Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Lewisville Police Department, Little Elm Police Department, and Dallas Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Rattan is prosecuting this case.