California cops cuff suspect in deadly drone-assisted drug deal

A California man has been charged with using a DJI drone to distribute drugs, which resulted in a fatal overdose.

According to the Central District of California DA’s office, on January 17, 2023, Christopher Patrick Laney, 34, also known as “Crany,” allegedly used an unregistered DJI FPV drone to transport a packet of fentanyl from his home to a third party who was waiting in a nearby church parking lot. It was then sold to a local woman, identified as JK, who was found dead the next day from an overdose.

Police listed a total of four drone trips allegedly carried out by Laney, and when they raided his home, they found approximately 6.61 grams of methamphetamine and around 16.15 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, according to the court document [PDF]. The DEA estimates around two milligrams of fentanyl is a lethal dose.

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During the raid, police also recovered three firearms, a .223 caliber AR-15 semiautomatic rifle, and two 9mm Polymer 80 pistols, the file showed. All three were so-called ghost guns, meaning that they were assembled from unmarked and unregistered parts, rendering them untraceable to law enforcement.

Laney is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, four counts of knowingly and willfully operating an unregistered aircraft in furtherance of a felony narcotics crime, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, he would face a minimum of 25 years in prison, although a life sentence is also possible.

The DA’s office thanked the US Customs and Border Protection’s Center for Air and Marine Drone Exploitation for their help in the case. The unit tracks around 25,000 foreign and domestic flights a month, using a mix of FAA and Department of Defense radars, their own drones, and “other sensors.” ®