A California man operated a drone to deliver illegal narcotics to his customers, one of whom died last year from a fentanyl overdose, according to a federal indictment unsealed on Oct. 16.
Investigators claim that Christopher Laney, 34, used an unregistered drone on several occasions to "transport and distribute narcotics" in Los Angeles County. (Related: Amazon begins testing drone delivery of medications in Texas.)
The nine-count indictment asserts that Laney last year utilized a commercial drone purchased from Chinese brand DJI to deliver fentanyl to a church parking lot near his home in Lancaster at the very northern tip of Los Angeles County.
From the parking lot, the drugs were picked up by an individual who afterward gave them to a woman cited in the indictment as "J.K." The woman died the following day of a fentanyl overdose.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation of Laney produced videos recorded by the $1,000 drone revealing other aerial narcotics distribution operations. The videos were seized during a DEA raid on Laney's home.
Along with the drone footage, agents recovered fentanyl, methamphetamine, an AR-15-style firearm and three "ghost guns," or firearms that are unserialized and untraceable, possibly homemade.
The drone Laney supposedly used was a DJI "first-person view" model, which permits the user to pilot the drone by means of a video feed to goggles. The manufacturer describes the product as a "groundbreaking ready-to-fly" drone that "lets users of any skill level feel the thrill of immersive flight."
Laney faces minimum of 25 years in prison if convicted on all charges
The drug dealer faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison if convicted on all charges.
As reported in a statement from the United States Attorney's Office, Laney was charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, four counts of knowingly and willingly operating an unregistered aircraft in furtherance of a felony narcotics crime, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The drone Laney used was not registered with the Federal Aviation Administration. Investigators also discovered footage taken by the drone that allegedly shows Laney using the same drone to transport and distribute drugs on several other occasions.
Additionally, prosecutors stated that in February 2023, "Laney possessed methamphetamine and fentanyl at his residence, and knowingly possessed multiple firearms – including an AR-15-style rifle lacking a serial number, commonly referred to as a 'ghost gun,' and two 9mm semiautomatic ghost-gun pistols, inside of his room."
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