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Drone Carrying Pot And Cellphones Crashes At Buckeye Prison

Guards at the state prison in Buckeye recovered a crashed drone that was trying to deliver marijuana and cellphones to inmates. The crash happened in late September, but authorities are just now discussing it.

Arizona Department of Corrections officials said the homemade drone crashed during the night of Sept. 24 in a security zone at the Lewis prison that is not accessible to inmates.

Investigators have been unable to trace the origin of the drone or who was controlling it, but will rely on DNA fingerprints that could lead to that person. Anyone who is caught will face a felony that carries a prison sentence of up to five years.

Corrections officials said the incident is the first known encounter of a drone at an Arizona prison.

The Associated Press Contributed to this report.

Stina Sieg was a senior field correspondent at KJZZ from 2013 to 2018.