Two women are facing felony charges after allegedly using infants to sneak marijuana into Cayuga Correctional Facility during separate visits with inmates.
According to officials, both women brought children under 15 months old with them — and hid drug bundles inside the children’s diapers.
The first arrest happened on August 30, when a Binghamton woman brought her 9-month-old child into the facility for a visit. A K9 officer alerted to the baby during screening. When questioned, the woman admitted she had four bundles of marijuana hidden in the child’s diaper. The drugs — weighing 91 grams — tested positive for marijuana.
The second incident occurred on September 6, involving a Michigan woman visiting with her 14-month-old son. Officers detected a strong smell of marijuana coming from a diaper in the visitor bathroom trash can. The diaper matched the brand her child was wearing. When confronted, the woman turned over two drug bundles hidden in her pants, which also tested positive for marijuana.
Both women were charged with:
- Promoting prison contraband in the 2nd degree
- Endangering the welfare of a child
They were taken to the Moravia State Police barracks for processing.
Prison officials say the arrests highlight a disturbing trend — and a growing risk to staff.
“It is reprehensible that both these mothers would use babies to smuggle drugs into the prison,” said Kenny Gold, Western Region Vice President. “Without the quick actions of our members, more drugs would’ve made their way into the prison… our members might’ve saved someone’s life.”
Gold also criticized what he called “laxed laws” and warned that increasing inmate visitation could bring more contraband — and more danger — into New York’s prisons.
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