NJ Woman Smuggled Drugs, Blade Into Shawangunk Prison

KINGSTON, NY — A New Jersey woman went to great lengths to smuggle contraband into a New York prison, but a K-9 foiled her efforts.

The Ulster County District Attorney's Office says that Tantaniea Ferguson pleaded guilty earlier this week to first-degree promoting prison contraband. The 33-year-old's sentencing is scheduled for May 21.

On May 6, 2023, Ferguson was visiting an inmate at Shawangunk Correctional, a state prison. A K-9 unit with the Office of Special Investigations (which serves as the investigatory body within the prison) alerted to contraband carried in with Ferguson. She was then searched and found to be in possession of 55 pills of methamphetamine inside her body cavity, in addition to a ceramic razor blade, items that are considered dangerous contraband under state law.

"This is another example of the many ways the health and safety of our Corrections Officers and staff, as well as inmates, are endangered by the actions of visitors," District Attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji said. "Concealment of dangerous contraband in a visitor’s body cavity indicates that it’s not an accident and that nothing good was intended in smuggling such items into the facility. The vigilance of the K9 unit and investigators here helped maintain the safety of corrections employees and inmates who are the putative targets of such contrabands."