A Grant Parish Sheriff’s deputy noticed a vehicle stopped in the middle of Hooper Road and turned around to check on it. The vehicle then sped away at a high rate of speed, leading to a pursuit that traveled through Grant, Rapides, Winn and Natchitoches parishes before coming to an end.

When the pursuit began, another deputy went to the location where the vehicle had been parked, where a drone landed nearby. Attached to the drone was $31,000 worth of methamphetamine.

Deputies learned the occupants of the vehicle were attempting to smuggle the methamphetamine into the federal prison using a drone. When the two men fled in the vehicle, the drone’s battery eventually began to run low, causing it to return to the location from which it was launched.

Leroy Rocha, 35, of Corpus Christi, Texas, was arrested for principal to aggravated flight from an officer, principal to reckless operation of a vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of fentanyl and criminal conspiracy.

Javier Hernandez, 31, of Corpus Christi, Texas, was arrested for taking contraband into a penal institution, aggravated flight from an officer, reckless operation of a vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

Both men are affiliated with the Mexican street and prison gang Tango Blast.