Drone drops phones into prison yard, inmates scam people in several states including Iowa

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KWQC) - Four men scammed people across the United States, including in Iowa, from a Georgia state prison, officials say.

Between March 2022 and April 2024 officials said four men - Russell Tafron Weatherspoon, 26, Karl Andre Dieudonne, 23, Demonte Tequis Brazil, 32 and Gregory Lamar Scorza, 25 - ran a fraud scam across multiple states.

Officials said Weatherspoon led and organized the scam from a Georgia state prison where he was serving a sentence for aggravated assault and violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act from 2020.

A drone was used to fly over the prison and drop cell phones into the yard which were then used by inmates to make scam calls.

Officials said the scammers made victims in several states, including Iowa, believe there was a wa