A federal grand jury in Fresno has indicted James Key III, 45, of Eustis, Florida, on charges of conspiring to distribute fentanyl into federal prisons using drones. U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced the indictment on Thursday.
Court documents state that from December 16, 2024, through August 17, 2025, Key allegedly worked with inmates at Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities located in Atwater, California; Florida; and South Carolina. The group reportedly applied fentanyl onto sheets of paper, bundled them, wrapped them in synthetic grass, and then used drones to deliver the packages into prison grounds.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is handling the prosecution.
“If convicted,” according to the press release, “Key faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.” The statement also emphasized that “the charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
