2 accused in Boston drone incident charged with trespassing
BOSTON – Two men who were arrested after police say they were involved in "hazardous drone operation" near Boston's Logan Airport were released without bail following their Monday arraignment.
Robert Duffy, 42, of Charlestown, and 32-year-old Jeremy Folcik of Bridgewater were arraigned Monday in Dorchester District Court. The men face trespassing charges.
Duffy and Folcik were arrested on Long Island in Boston Harbor Saturday night.
After a Boston police officer spotted the drone, he was able to track it to the shuttered Long Island Health Campus. Duffy and Folcik were arrested while a third suspect ran and fled the island on a small boat. Police have not yet said if that person has been found.
"They had no business being there," the prosecutor said Monday.
Boston drone arrests
During the arraignment, a judge ordered both men to stay away from Long Island in addition to being required not to operate drones.
Prosecutors did not ask for cash bail, saying that the men do not have a lengthy criminal record and are not considered a flight risk.
Duffy and Folcik are due back in court on February 6.
Drones in Massachusetts
There have been drone sightings reported in several Massachusetts communities in recent days.
Sightings were reported on Cape Cod starting Thursday night. Additional reports came in from Marshfield, Natick and Tewksbury.
A small drone crashed Sunday morning on the airfield at Nantucket Memorial Airport. Nantucket officials described the device as a "small multi-rotor drone" that can be purchased online and weighs about .55 pounds. When used recreationally, the style of drone may not require registration through the FAA, officials said.
No flights were impacted by the drone.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said about the state's recent drone sightings that officials are "monitoring the situation closely."
Harwich Police Chief Kevin Considine told WBZ-TV it is hard for local departments to monitor drone sightings.
"They are tough to manage, and that's why the first thing we did today was just submit our report to our local partners from the federal government and the state police just so they can start looking into it," Considine said.
New Jersey drones
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy asked President Joe Biden for more help from the federal government after a series of mysterious drone sightings in the state.
Murphy told Biden in a letter that the public deserves "more concrete information" on what is happening in the skies.
Why are drones dangerous?
Airline pilot Patrick Smith told WBZ-TV that it's not likely a small hobby drone could cause a plane to crash, but said "it is possible." Smith also added that there is also a possibility that a drone could cause millions of dollars in damage.
"I don't want to say that it's just a matter of time before there's a collision between a commercial plane and a drone but the likelihood of that is increasing," Smith said.
