EUCLID, OH — Cuyahoga County investigators are trying to determine who is behind a drone spotted dropping items into the county's Euclid Jail Annex last week.
A county spokesperson confirmed the sheriff's department has launched an investigation into a "drone incident" at the jail after corrections officers discovered a drone dropped something into the jail. Because it's an on-going investigation, that spokesperson would not confirm it was an attempt to smuggle contraband, like drugs or cell phones, over the jail's razor wire and into outdoor inmate recreation areas.
It's the second time in two days the county admitted investigations into potential jail smuggling were underway. On Monday, 5 On Your Side Investigators exposed the discovery of a hole dug into the wall of an eighth floor jail cell last week. The sheriff's department would not confirm the hole was an attempt to smuggle contraband into the troubled downtown jail, citing an on-going investigation. Jail administrators said they did not believe the hole was an attempt to escape.
In November, the U.S. Marshal moved federal inmates out of Cuyahoga County's downtown jail after a review team cited "inhumane" conditions inside the lock-up. Those federal inmates were moved to the county's 179-bed Euclid Jail Annex after inspectors found far fewer problems there.
On Tuesday, U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott confirmed the Euclid Jail still houses federal inmates. Elliott did not want to comment on the drone incident, instead deferring to Cuyahoga County officials about the investigation.
