CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Pennsylvania man has pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the introduction of contraband into a federal prison using a drone.
Gamalier Rivera, 33, of Allentown, admitted in court Thursday to his role in a scheme to smuggle cell phones, tobacco, and marijuana into Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell.
According to court documents, on February 9, 2024, correctional officers detected a drone flying over the prison, traveling from the facility’s fence line to a housing unit.
A subsequent search of the cell revealed a broken exterior window and multiple contraband items.
Officers traced the drone’s flight path back to its launch site, where Rivera and two co-defendants, Hector Luis Gomez DeJesus and Raymond Luis Saez Aviles, were apprehended.
Authorities seized the drone, its remote controller, and additional contraband.
As part of his plea, Rivera admitted that he, DeJesus, and Aviles worked together to use the drone to transport the illegal items into the prison. He also acknowledged that he expected to be paid for his involvement.
Rivera is scheduled for sentencing on July 7, 2025. He faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Rivera was indicted alongside DeJesus, 32, of Sanford, North Carolina, and Aviles, 37, of Poinciana, Florida.
In a separate case, three Chicago residents—Arturo Joel Gallegos, 26, Miguel Angel Aleman-Piceno, 22, and Francisco Alejandro Gonzalez, 24—were also indicted on charges related to providing contraband to FCI McDowell inmates in February 2024.
The charges against the remaining defendants are still pending.
“Today’s guilty plea is the result of the vigilance and dedication of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and the excellent coordination and teamwork between BOP, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian D. Parsons, with Senior U.S. District Judge David A. Faber presiding.
