An Essex County Sheriff’s Department investigation has uncovered a drug smuggling operation and four people, including a Peabody woman, have been charged and $20,000 in contraband has been seized, according to the Essex County District Attorney’s Office.

John Leger, 32, and Juan Peguero, 36, were arraigned in Salem District Court Friday for smuggling Suboxone, a drug used to treat addicts, into the Middleton House of Correction.  

Leger is in custody awaiting trial on animal cruelty and gun charges. Peguero is in custody awaiting trial on a murder charge. Judge Matthew Machera set $10,000 bail on Leger and revoked his bail in the Superior Court cases. This case is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing next month.

Melissa Digaetano, 30, of Peabody, and Lea Peguero, 28, of Lawrence, were arraigned Thursday and released on a promise to return to court. Digaetano is charged with possession of a narcotic, delivering drugs to a prisoner and conspiracy to violate drug laws. Peguero is charged with delivering drugs to a prisoner and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

The DA alleges Rodriguez prepared papers with hidden pockets and sent them to his cousin, Lea Peguero. On his instruction, Lea Peguero obtained 89 Suboxone strips and placed them in the hidden pockets. She provided these papers, disguised as legal documents, to Digaetano, who brought them to a court appearance of her boyfriend, Leger, at Salem District Court last summer. The papers were confiscated by Salem Police and the Essex County Sheriff’s Investigative Unit.

“We have a zero-tolerance policy on the possession or introduction of contraband into any of our facilities,” said Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger, in a statement. “Contraband such as this endangers the lives of not only our inmate population but also our correctional staff. We will remain vigilant in our enforcement efforts and will aggressively prosecute any and all offenders.”