ST. GEORGE — A man, convicted this week of arson and contraband smuggling, will serve a 17-year sentence in state prison.
Joshua Bryan Jordan, previously on probation for murder-related charges, was found guilty of second-degree arson, attempting to furnish contraband, and criminal conspiracy on June 25. The Ninth Circuit Judge Deadra Jefferson imposed the sentence, which runs concurrently with previous convictions.
Jordan was charged in a conspiracy with his roommate, Gavin Shane Griffin, to smuggle drugs and contraband into Lieber Correctional Institute in 2022. Griffin, who testified against Jordan, continues to face pending charges including drug possession and operating a drone near a correctional facility.
Authorities reported Jordan was also convicted of setting fire to the home of a Lieber correctional officer, allegedly in retaliation for the officer's contraband seizures. Griffin was not implicated in the arson case.
Following the verdict, Jordan received additional sentences: 10 years for furnishing contraband, 5 years for criminal conspiracy, and the remainder of his 2017 11-year sentence for accessory to murder. His original sentence for the murder accessory charge included 4 years of imprisonment and 7 years of probation.
Investigators noted Jordan was arrested in February 2022 after a drone he piloted crashed near Lieber, carrying about half a kilogram of marijuana and other contraband. At the time of his arrest, authorities discovered additional drugs and contraband items in his possession.
In 2022, over 200 contraband smuggling incidents were recorded at South Carolina Department of Corrections facilities. The state has since expanded no-fly zones around such facilities and increased penalties for drone-related offenses.
Jordan was previously arrested for allegedly setting a fire at the home of a correctional officer on January 19, 2022. He was rearrested in April 2023 while attempting to smuggle contraband into Lee Correctional Institute.