LA PORTE COUNTY, Ind. -- A La Porte County man was arrested outside of Westville Correctional Facility after he allegedly tried to fly contraband into the jail with a drone. 

Authorities say, around 1:30 a.m. on March 21, Warden Jason Smiley was alerted to a drone in the air around the jail. A team of La Porte County Sheriff's Office Deputies, along with Smiley, walked a tree line near Westville and found a male who took off running northeast through an open field. 

Authorities say Smiley yelled, “Police, stop,” but got no reaction from the suspect. They continued to follow him with a flashlight as he moved toward U.S. 421.

"[Authorities] radioed the other units in the area who began setting up by the Tazco building to intercept the subject," the LCSO said. "It was at this time that a buzzing sound was heard and when [authorities] looked up, they discovered a drone flying back to its launching pad."

The suspect was captured and identified as the same person authorities say emerged from the brush and ran earlier in the night.

"[Authorities] began looking around the area the subject ran from when they found multiple grocery bag filled with unknown substances, a drone, a remote for the drone, a red Apple iPhone, a blue blanket, a Mr. Fog vaping device," the LCSO said.

Twenty-nine-year-old Eric Alfredo Patino was arrested and taken to the La Porte County Jail on charges of:

• Level 2 Felony Dealing in Methamphetamine
• Level 2 Felony Dealing in Cocaine or a Narcotic
• Two counts of Level 3 Felony Dealing in Cocaine or a Narcotic
• Level 5 Felony Dealing in Marijuana
• Two counts of Level 5 Felony Attempted Trafficking with an Inmate

Items found that field tested positive:

• Cocaine- 5.1 grams
• Fentanyl (wrapped in foil with tobacco)- 14.1 grams
• Marijuana- 855.4 grams (if we add his personal stash that was found on him it’s 863.4 grams)
• Methamphetamine (Crystal)- 225.2 grams

Additional items that were found:

• Suboxone strips- 121 = 5.6 grams
• Tobacco- 798.8 grams
• Five cellular devices- (4 iPhone & 1 TCL)
• His personal cell phone (iPhone)
• One drone + the remote with 2 additional battery packs.
• A blue blanket
• Patino’s personal Mr. Fog vape device
• Four chargers
• One Duffle bag
• One Allen wrench
• Five carabiners
• Electrical tape
• Painters tape