Valley Stream woman admits role in Nassau jail drug smuggling

A Valley Stream woman admitted Wednesday to playing a role in what authorities said was a scheme to smuggle cocaine, heroin and fentanyl into Nassau’s jail that they disrupted after finding drugs in an inmate’s underwear.

Danielle Kain, 31, pleaded guilty in Nassau County Court to a felony charge of promoting prison contraband in connection with her August 2016 arrest.

Kain told acting State Supreme Court Justice Meryl Berkowitz during the plea that she assisted in smuggling cocaine into the East Meadow correctional facility.

A 13-count indictment had accused Kain of charges that also included selling and possessing drugs and being part of a smuggling conspiracy. Authorities said she had faced up to 9 years behind bars on the top count.

The judge told Kain she would sentence her next year to 5 years of probation and any treatment that probation officials order. As part of Kain’s negotiated plea with the prosecution, she also gave up the right to appeal her conviction.

“My client is looking forward to putting these events behind her and moving on with the rest of her life,” Kain’s Mineola defense attorney, Dennis O’Brien, said after court.

A district attorney’s spokesman declined to comment.

Prosecutors had alleged in court papers Kain conspired with an inmate, the mother of that inmate’s child and others to buy and smuggle drugs into the jail.

Records show jail officials alleged that in June 2016 they discovered the inmate had a small plastic bag of cocaine, 10 wax paper envelopes full of heroin and 10 wax paper envelopes full of fentanyl.

A correction officer found the drugs during a routine strip search after the inmate saw his visitor, according to felony complaints.

Authorities had alleged the mother of the inmate’s child passed the drugs to the inmate during a jail visit after Kain got the money for drugs, bought them, and gave them to the woman.

Kain, who told the judge she has a master’s degree, remains free on $50,000 bond while awaiting sentencing on Feb. 15.

Court records show the inmate involved in the case pleaded guilty last year to promoting prison contraband and received a year in jail, and charges against the mother of the inmate’s child are pending.