Police: Baby used to smuggle drugs

A local woman was arrested last week after she allegedly used her 1-year old child to smuggle drugs to her boyfriend who was incarcerated at Marble Valley Correctional Facility in Rutland, Vt.

On March 31 Michelle L. Doaner, 25, brought her 1-year old child to visit inmate Gregory T. Munukka, Jr., Doaner’s boyfriend and the child’s father.

Following the visit, Munukka was searched by correctional officers and discovered to be in possession of four strips of buprenorphine, a prescription pain medication often used that can be used to treat opioid dependency.

State Police discovered that Munukka had contacted Doaner prior to the visit and asked her to obtain the drugs for him.

According to police, Doaner hid the drugs on the child and Munukka was able to retrieve the narcotics from the child during the visit.

Doaner was charged with transportation of regulated drugs into a detention facility, dispensing narcotics and cruelty to a child under the age of 10, all felonies.

Munukka, who was in custody on charges related to home burglaries in the Rutland area, was charged with possession of narcotics.  

Because Doaner and Munukka provided police with a Whitehall address, authorities notified New York Child Protective Services of the incident.

Both Munukka and Doaner are scheduled to appear at the Superior Court of Rutland Criminal Division on May 12.