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Utah State Prison officers are on heightened alert for drone activity after an apparent sighting over the Draper facility last month.

On the morning of July 15, a prison employee reported seeing what appeared to be a drone flying over a prison recreations yard, prison spokesperson Brooke Adams said Tuesday in a press release.

All recreation yards were briefly closed, as officers in patrol vehicles, watch towers and on the ground visually searched the yards and surrounding areas for the drone or any items dropped, Adams said. Nothing was found and the yards were reopened 15 minutes after the reported sighting.

"Like Department of Corrections across the country, we are concerned about the increased use of drones and the implications they pose for our security," Adams said. "We are following and are engaged in discussions about possible means of preventing interference with our operations from drones. Meantime, our security staff aware of the possible threat and are maintaining a vigilant watch for them."

Adams noted that the introduction of contraband into the prison, by whatever means, is a crime and those involved may face misdemeanor to a felony charges, depending on the item.