SC man accused of hurling tobacco-filled footballs over prison fence, authorities say

A South Carolina man was arrested for allegedly trying to sneak contraband to a prisoner at the Lee Correctional Institution, using footballs as containers and throwing them over the fence, the South Carolina Department of Corrections said Friday.

Two footballs were found packed with tobacco, cigar wrappers, and a digital scale on May 13, according to an arrest warrant.

Rodney Tate Jr., 21, a resident of Gaffney, is facing charges of furnishing contraband to a prisoner and criminal conspiracy.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Department assisted in his arrest, the release said.

A similar incident occurred at the same prison earlier this week.

North Carolina resident Terrell Laqua Smith, 20, allegedly tried to throw two packages over the perimeter fence on May 11, WACH reported. He is facing charges of introducing contraband into a state prison.

Those packages included a cell phone, tobacco, wrapping paper and lighters, according to the outlet.

No footballs were involved in that incident, SCDC’s director of communications Chrysti Shain, told McClatchy News.

“It’s a constant battle,” Shain said, adding that over the years, “we’ve seen many different containers” used in attempts to smuggle contraband. In some cases, drones have been used, and so SCDC has drone detecting technology to curb those efforts.

But in response to criminals simply tossing things over, SCDC has installed 50-foot nets in conjunction with standard perimeter fencing, and it has worked well, she said.

Shain added that the most recent attempt on May 13 failed, and the footballs didn’t make through.

“They do still try,” she said.