Grand Island man arrested, facing multiple drug charges

The Erie County Sheriff's Office said detectives found "a fairly significant amount" of drugs inside a home on Grand Island on Thursday. This was a three-month-long investigation that ended in an arrest late last week.

Detectives were waiting outside of 29-year-old Jay Mudra's home when they saw him drive by. They say they pulled Mudra over in the area of Riverwoods Drive and Timberlink Drive and found one kilogram of cocaine.

Later that night, the Narcotics and Intelligence Unit executed a search warrant for his home on East River Road. That's where detectives say they found another four ounces of cocaine, valued at $40,000, nearly six pounds of psilocybin and 120 psilocybin chocolate bars all with the intent to distribute.

Erie County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff John Garcia said this investigation led to getting poison off our streets.

"That's how we look at it. I’m an optimist. We keep on fighting this war against drugs and this poison in the community to save our public, our children. But I think what we need more is education," Garcia said at a press conference late Monday.

Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane said Mudra faces nine charges, six of which are felonies.

He has been charged:

• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 1st Degree
• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 2nd Degree (2 counts)
• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree (3 counts)
• Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia in the 2nd Degree (3 counts)

Keane said Mudra faces serious jail time if convicted. Bail was set to $10,000 cash, $20,000 bond or $20,000 partially secured bond.
Murda returns to Grand Island Town Court on May 22.

The Sheriff's Office said detectives are still testing the substances found in Mudra's home for fentanyl.