Man Helped Fly Drones To Drop Dye In Atlantic County Pools: Prosecutor

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — An Atlantic City man is accused of helping another to drop dye packs in pools around Atlantic County using drones in the summer of 2023, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office.

Anthony M. Spina, 31, was indicted by a grand jury on charges of conspiracy to commit criminal mischief and criminal mischief in relation to the 2023 drone cases.

Between June 1, 2023 and Sept. 1, 2023, Spina agreed with another person to fly drones, otherwise known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAVs, and drop dye packs into commercial and residential swimming pools, authorities said. The dye packs turned the water a greenish-yellow color, which alarmed property owners and caused damage in the amount of at least $2,000 to remediate, according to officials.

Between Aug. 2, 2023 and Aug. 15, 2023, officials allege that Spina flew a drone and dropped dye packs into a pool at a local condominium complex on "multiple occasions," which also caused damage in the amount of at least $2,000.

Using tracking software, the drone flights were attributed to Spina and his co-conspirator, resulting in at least one drone and multiple digital devices being seized, implicating Spina in the scheme; and resulting in his arrest

His co-conspirator is the previously charged Patrick Spina IV, an Absecon resident and owner of Comfort Solutions Heating and Cooling, officials previously said. He dyed a number of pools in Absecon and Galloway, including Quality Inn in Galloway, where the concrete pool was damaged. Authorities tracked the drone's path back to Comfort Solutions Heating and Cooling in Galloway. Read more: Galloway Business Owner Used Drone To Drop Chemicals Into Pools: Police

While it does not appear to be related, Spina's indictment comes amid the recent surge in drone sightings across New Jersey.