Woman accused of trying to smuggle drugs to husband through child

[Abrad]

May 2, 2006

RUTLAND, Vt. --A Ripton woman has denied charges that she used a child to smuggle drugs to her husband, who is an inmate at the Rutland prison.

Naomi J. Manning, 27, pleaded not guilty to a number of charges, including contributing to the delinquency of minors and transporting drugs into a prison. She was released after Monday's Vermont District Court appearance.

Officials at the state prison refused to discuss the allegations, referring questions to city police.

Police said they were tipped that Manning would try to smuggle what was described as contraband into the prison on March 11 when visiting her husband, Peter. Naomi Manning is prohibited from the prison because of a prior drug offense, so the informant told police another woman would accompany children to visit Peter Manning.

Police were at the prison at the time set for the visit and asked the woman whether she was carrying anything to Manning. She said she wasn't and she consented to being searched. Nothing was found. Naomi Manning, who was waiting outside, told police she had given one of the children "one slug" of tobacco to give to her husband.

Police found that slug in a pants pocket of one child and two more slugs in another pocket. They were wrapped with electrical tape and contained marijuana and pills to treat opiate dependence, police said. The other child had no contraband, they said.