By Gene Warner
Buffalo News
NIAGARA COUNTY, N.Y. — A Niagara County sheriff’s correctional officer suffered a fractured vertebra Friday in a struggle with an inmate who was accused of accepting some contraband tobacco from a female visitor.
The officer, whose name hasn’t been released, was taken to Eastern Niagara Hospital in Lockport, before being transferred to Erie County Medical Center. His condition was not available.
The incident occurred at about 9:30 a.m. Friday, when correctional officers monitoring visits to inmates at the Niagara County Correctional Facility in the Town of Lockport noticed contraband being passed to inmate Ramone Walker, 36, of Lockport.
The officer was attempting to retrieve the contraband tobacco from the inmate, who fought with him, sheriff’s officials said. During that struggle, the officer suffered the serious back injury.
The tobacco was seized from the inmate after he was subdued by several correctional officers.
Walker, who had been jailed on a felony drug charge, was charged with felony assault and promoting prison contraband, according to police reports.
Jessica Broughton, 21, of Lockport, the visitor, was charged with promoting prison contraband.
Both were arraigned in Town of Lockport Court, where Walker was held on additional bail and Broughton was released, pending a future court date.
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