An Indianapolis resident was arrested Wednesday on a preliminary charge of trafficking after she was discovered in possession of contraband while visiting an inmate at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, the Indiana Department of Correction (DOC) said.

According to a statement released today, Elena Munoz-Baldwin, 29, was observed by staff in the custody hall placing two popcorn bags into a trash can by the dispatch window. Staff checked the can, saw only the two popcorn bags, and on examining the contents of one of them saw two packages wrapped in gray duct tape, the statement said.

Munoz-Baldwin was stopped, escorted to Internal Affairs, and the packages were searched. They contained two small bags of marijuana with a total weight of eight grams, several cigarettes, a package of tobacco with a weight of 2.5 ounces, one AT&T cellular telephone, two SIM cards, and a wire for charging the phone, the statement said.

The Indiana State Police was contacted and Munoz-Baldwin was transported to LaPorte County Jail on a charge of trafficking.

Munoz-Baldwin was visiting inmate Michael Baldwin, serving six years for robbery, 10 years for felony firearm possession, and 20 years for aggravated battery out of Marion County. Baldwin was received at the prison on Nov. 18, 2008, and has a projected release date of July 7, 2017.

“This is an example of the great work these correctional professionals do every day,” Superintendent Mark Levenhagen said. “Their challenges are many, but they are determined to insure the safety of the facility.”

DOC Commissioner Edwin Buss expressed his appreciation to staff for their diligence.

Posted 7/3/2009