Editor’s Note: The following is a republished press release from the Ithaca Police Department and NOT written by the Ithaca Voice.
ITHACA, NY – On August 7, 2016 at about 5:54 am IPD officers responded to a commercial business in the 700 block of South Meadow Street regarding the report of a suspicious person inside of a parked motor vehicle.
Officers arrived on scene and made contact with the occupant of the vehicle, later identified as Benjamin Spradlin.
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Spradlin exited the vehicle when asked to do so by officers on scene. Spradlin was ultimately found to be in possession of 26 grams of crack cocaine, 8 grams of heroin, and a stun gun. While inspecting the passenger compartment of the vehicle officers found $8,050 in US Savings Bonds believed to be stolen in a local burglary and a “ninja” type star.
Spradlin was secured in police custody and transported to IPDHQ for processing. Spradlin’s vehicle was towed to the Ithaca Police Department, where it was secured until a search warrant could be served on it.
Upon serving the search warrant officers located several items that are believed to have been stolen in local burglaries as well as a handgun. Spradlin was arraigned in Ithaca City Court on the following charges:
• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree (2 counts), Class B Felony
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2nd Degree, Class C Felony
• Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the 3rd Degree, Class D Felony
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 4th Degree (2 counts), Class A Misdemeanor
• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th Degree (2 counts), Class A Misdemeanor
Spradlin was remanded to the Tompkins County jail without bail.