Conroe Police Drone Detects Methamphetamine at MLK Park

CONROE, Texas – The Conroe Police Department utilized advanced aerial surveillance technology to facilitate a significant narcotics arrest at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park on the evening of Friday, January 26.

At approximately 7 p.m., a department Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) was conducting a routine patrol over the public space. The drone operator identified suspicious activity on the west side of the park, an area that has been a focal point for increased police monitoring due to reports of illicit drug activity.

The UAS operator immediately alerted ground units to the location. Sgt. Ryan Jochim and Officer Thomas Kennedy responded to the park, where they located 49-year-old Patrick Leon Thomas inside a park gazebo. According to police reports, officers observed drug paraphernalia, including a glass methamphetamine pipe, in plain view upon their arrival.

Following the initial encounter, officers deployed K9 Bear, a member of the department’s specialized narcotics unit, to conduct an open-air sniff of a vehicle associated with Thomas. The K9 signaled a positive alert for the presence of narcotics, providing officers with probable cause to search the vehicle. During the search, officers recovered 3.2 grams of methamphetamine.

Thomas was taken into custody and charged with possession of a controlled substance, Penalty Group 1, a third-degree felony. Under Texas law, possession of between one and four grams of methamphetamine carries a potential prison sentence of two to ten years.

Montgomery County jail records indicate that Thomas remained in custody throughout the weekend. He was released on Monday, January 29, after posting a $7,500 bond.

This incident marks the latest in a series of legal issues for the suspect. Court records reveal that Thomas has a prior criminal history involving controlled substances. In 2021, he was convicted of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, a charge that resulted in a five-year prison sentence.

The Conroe Police Department has increasingly integrated drone technology into its patrol operations over the past year, citing the tools as vital for officer safety and the efficient monitoring of large public areas such as parks and shopping centers. The department maintains that the use of UAS, or drones, is conducted in accordance with state regulations regarding privacy and surveillance.

The case remains under the jurisdiction of the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. Further updates regarding the prosecution of the case can be tracked via the Montgomery County Clerk’s online case portal at mctx.org.