LIBERTY — A Reynoldsburg man found sleeping in a hotel stairwell pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday morning after being arrested on a drug-related charge Tuesday.

Andre Lofton, 55, was charged with obstructing official business and drug paraphernalia.

According to the police report, officers were dispatched to Days Inn, 1615 E. Liberty St., on a call about unwanted persons and a man sleeping inside the stairwell of the hotel. Dispatchers told officers that management had already asked the man to leave the property.

When the officer made contact with the man and explained that the building’s management wanted him to leave and have him charged with criminal trespass, he could not provide any identification.

When asked for a social security number, he provided one that led back to Eric Lofton, who had active arrest warrants in the township for theft charges.

The report states officers eventually found and detained Eric Lofton on a WRTA bus, where he was told about his active arrest warrants. However, he told officers that his brother, Andre, was using his identity.

Further investigation revealed they had Andre Lofton, not Eric, in custody, and he was placed under arrest for obstructing official business. A search revealed a blue plastic container inside his bookbag, which contained a used crack pipe and related items, which were also taken by Liberty police.

Andre Lofton was then told he would be charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $5,000 and he’s set to appear in Girard Municipal Court for a pre-trial hearing Jan. 22, court records show.