HIGH-TECH HIGH SECURITY: HOW A CITIZEN’S PROWLER CALL UNRAVELED A PRISON DRONE SMUGGLING RING

WHITEVILLE, NC — What began as a routine call about suspicious individuals skulking near prison grounds ended in the collapse of an organized contraband ring attempting to fly narcotics straight into the exercise yard of Columbus Correctional Institution.

Four men are currently behind bars at the Columbus County Detention Center facing dozens of felony trafficking and conspiracy charges after investigators uncovered a high-tech contraband delivery plan utilizing a remote-controlled drone.

A Midnight Tip Near the Perimeter

The incident unfolded on the evening of June 2, 2026, along Harrelsonville Road, a rural corridor bordering the medium-security male facility. A vigilant local resident contacted emergency dispatchers to report several individuals trespassing on private property and lurking in the shadows near the prison complex.

Crucially, the observant tipster remained on the line to give dispatchers accurate physical descriptions of the prowlers and a detailed profile of their getaway vehicle.

Patrol division deputies dispatched to the area spotted a matching vehicle lingering near the facility’s perimeter. Deputies executed an investigative traffic stop, identifying the driver as Jadynn Richardson and three passengers: Xavien Clay, Jonathan Hinnant, and Javonte Chatman.

“This investigation demonstrates the critical role our community plays,” Sheriff W.A. Rogers noted in a statement released Monday. “A single prompt report from an alert citizen gave patrol deputies the window they needed to intercept these individuals before contraband could breach facility walls.”

Contraband Hidden in Gloves, Drones in the Dash

Due to the proximity to the correctional facility and suspicious circumstances, detectives with the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Vice/Narcotics Unit were dispatched to assist patrol units.

A thorough search of the vehicle yielded a major cache of illegal substances specifically packaged for contraband insertion, along with a multi-rotor drone:

• 38.69 grams of THC Wax/Resin: Found stuffed inside a glove—a common concealment tactic meant to protect payload drops during aerial delivery.

• 17.44 grams of K2 Synthetic Cannabinoid Paper: Sheets infused with synthetic chemicals designed to be sliced into tiny strips or disguised as standard mail.

• 6.32 grams of Sublingual Prescription Film: Narcotic strips intended for illicit distribution inside the prison population.

• 2.00 grams of processed marijuana.

Intercepted Wiretaps Connect the Dots

While the physical evidence inside the car was damning, Vice/Narcotics detectives took the investigation a step further by coordinating with state prison officials to review monitored inmate phone logs at Columbus Correctional Institution.

The wiretap review paid off quickly. Detectives uncovered multiple recorded conversations between incarcerated inmates and members of the group outside. The calls explicitly detailed coordinate drop points, precise timing window targets, and order lists for specific drugs and quantities to be flown over the fence line via the seized drone.

Mounting Charges and Quarter-Million-Dollar Bonds

All four suspects were booked into custody, facing a slate of severe state charges:

• Jadynn Richardson (Driver): Charged with three counts of Trafficking in Opium or Heroin, PWIMSD Schedule I, III, and Marijuana, drug manufacturing, maintaining a vehicle for controlled substances, and 18 counts of felony conspiracy. Bond set at $275,000 secured.

• Xavien Clay: Charged with three counts of Trafficking in Opium or Heroin, PWIMSD Schedule I, III, and Marijuana, drug manufacturing, and 18 counts of felony conspiracy. Bond set at $250,000 secured.

• Jonathan Hinnant: Charged with three counts of Trafficking in Opium or Heroin, PWIMSD Schedule I, III, and Marijuana, drug manufacturing, and 18 counts of felony conspiracy. Bond set at $250,000 secured.

• Javonte Chatman: Facing identical felony drug, manufacturing, and conspiracy charges. Because Chatman was out on bond for an unrelated criminal charge at the time of his arrest, he is being held without bond.

  

   

  

Sheriff Rogers reiterated that the agency, alongside state prison authorities, maintains zero tolerance for high-tech smuggling attempts. The seized narcotics, drone, and electronic evidence remain in secure storage at the Sheriff’s Office Evidence Division as court proceedings begin.

All individuals listed are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Charges and case statuses may change as investigations and court proceedings continue.