January 18th, 2016 by WCBC Radio

The Office of the State’s Attorney for Allegany County, the Honorable Michael O. Twigg, State’s Attorney, announced on Monday, January 18, 2016, that Thaddeus Shortz, 25 of Knoxville, MD, was convicted, following a two day jury trial in Allegany County Circuit Court, on 31 charges relating to his attempt to smuggle drugs, tobacco, pornography and a cell phone in to the Western Correctional Institution in August 2015 utilizing a flying drone.

The Honorable W. Timothy Finan, Circuit Court Judge for Allegany County, revoked Shortz’s bond and remanded him to the custody of the Allegany County Sheriff pending a sentencing hearing, which is not yet scheduled.

According to Assistant State’s Attorney Erich Bean, who prosecuted the case, “Technology is wonderful until it ends up in the hands of the wrong person.  We can’t have people flying these types of things into the prison.  It compromises the safety of all the men and women who work there.  Hopefully this will send a loud and clear message to anyone else who might be thinking of doing something so stupid.  I commend the investigators from the C3I Narcotics Unit and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for their excellent work on this one.”

Shortz was represented by attorney Robin K. Ficker.