CHIPPEWA COUNTY - A woman from Redford has been arrested and arraigned after smuggling drugs and communications items into a correctional facility, state police said Friday.
The Michigan State Police Sault Ste. Marie Post said 41-year-old Frances Ramirez-Huerta smuggled contraband into the Chippewa Correctional Facility in Kincheloe. Ramirez-Huerta was arrested following a collaborative investigation with Michigan Department of Corrections staff, state police said.
On Jan. 11, MDOC personnel at the Chippewa Correctional Facility became suspicious after observing unusual behavior by a prisoner during a visitation, state police said. Upon reviewing surveillance footage, it was discovered that Ramirez-Huerta, who had been visiting an inmate in the MDOC visitation room, had smuggled items into the facility, they said.
Surveillance footage revealed that Ramirez-Huerta had concealed items in the waistband of her pants, which were covertly given to the prisoner during the visit, state police said.
A subsequent search of the prisoner led to the discovery of two bundles of contraband, state police said: The first bundle contained 140 suboxone strips, and the second bundle contained 7 grams of marijuana flower in packaging, as well as two SIM cards for cellular devices.
Ramirez-Huerta has been charged with:
- Controlled Substance-Creation/Delivery of an Analogue
- Controlled Substance-Delivery/Manufacture Marijuana
- Controlled Substance-Maintaining a Drug House
- Furnishing Contraband to a Prisoner in Prison
- Furnishing a Cell Phone to a Prisoner