BRENTWOOD — A Danville woman charged with smuggling the narcotic drug suboxone into the Rockingham County jail was discovered once corrections officers monitored phone calls between her and her husband, according to a police affidavit.

Michelle Vennochi, 41, is facing felony charges of delivery of articles prohibited for allegedly smuggling the narcotic drugs to her husband during jail visits between Dec. 3 and Jan. 7.

Her indictment in Rockingham County Superior Court came alongside an unrelated case against her ex-husband, Paul, who is charged with writing a series of false prescriptions for oxycodone at pharmacies in Plaistow and Kingston, court records say.

Michelle Vennochi was already indicted for allegedly having oxycodone at her home on Aug. 19 when the latest set of charges were brought against her earlier this month in superior court, court records say.

The investigation into the drug-delivery case began in December.

Recorded phone calls monitored by jail officials revealed that Vennochi was speaking to her current husband, Michael Dymek, about how to prepare toothpicks so that they could be laced with suboxone, the sheriff's department said.

“It's learned at this time that Vennochi has been sliding toothpicks wrapped with suboxone strips through an opening in the divider during visits at the jail,” sheriff's department Deputy Sgt. Jay Murphy said in an affidavit.

When investigators learned of a plan to bring more laced toothpicks into the jail, they set up audio and video recorders on Jan. 7 to capture the transaction, court documents say.

Corrections officers and deputies watched the drug exchange, then took Vennochi into custody as she was leaving the jail.

Dymek, who is now being held at the state prison, was found with toothpicks in his pocket, according to court records.

Prosecutors recently moved to revoke bail for Michelle and Paul Vennochi more than a week ago, but agreed to hold off because the two decided to enter a residential drug treatment program. The indictments on the felony drug charges were handed down by a grand jury in May.

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James A. Kimble may be reached at JKimble@newstote.com.