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.
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.