ITHACA, N.Y. — An Ithaca man is facing felony-level drug charges after police say they found cocaine, packaging materials and other drug-related paraphernalia in a Cliff Street apartment.

Charles E. Richards, 50, was arrested after police responded to a report of trespassing at 224 Cliff St. on Thursday morning. According to the Ithaca Police Department, when officers arrived on scene at about 7:15 a.m. a person reported Richards had threatened them with a handgun.

Police obtained a search warrant and searched the apartment, where Richards was a resident. They did not locate a handgun during the search, but said they found “a substantial amount of Cocaine, packaging materials, a digital scale, a blender with narcotic residue, and substances commonly used as cutting agents.”

Richards was arrested and charged with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class B felony, and second-degree menacing, a Class A misdemeanor. He was arraigned in Ithaca City Court and remanded to Tompkins County Jail without bail.

Devon Magliozzi

Devon Magliozzi is a reporter for the Ithaca Voice. Questions? Story tips? Contact her at dmagliozzi@ithacavoice.com or 607-391-0328.