Two men incarcerated at the Erie County Holding Center are facing new drug possession charges.
The Sheriff's Office said a Holding Center deputy spotted Spencer Nowinski, 50, of Sardinia snorting a substance. A search then detected narcotics and drug paraphernalia in his bunk.
Nowinski was being held due to New York State parole violations following a December 2020 arrest, and now faces a felony charge of possessing dangerous contraband in prison and a misdemeanor of criminal possession of a controlled substance.
The Sheriff's Narcotics and Intelligence Unit also reported information that Andre Benefield, 28, of Buffalo had a large amount of suspected cocaine and other controlled substances that he apparently transported into the Holding Center through his digestive system, which he then sold in the housing area.
The Sheriff said a search of his personal items turned up several small baggies containing narcotics. Benefield was arrested Wednesday by Buffalo Police on drug, assault and criminal contempt charges, plus parole violations, and now faces new drug possession charges.
