On Wednesday, an Auburn man was arrested following a targeted narcotics investigation by the Finger Lakes Drug Task Force.
Investigators executed a court-authorized search warrant at a residence in the City of Auburn as part of an ongoing probe into the illegal possession and distribution of narcotics in Cayuga County. During the search, officers reportedly located and secured a quantity of cocaine, digital scales, drug paraphernalia used for packaging, and U.S. currency.
As a result of the investigation, 51-year-old Richard Hartfield was taken into custody. He has been charged with one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, which is a Class B felony.
Following his arrest, Hartfield was transported to the Cayuga County Jail for Centralized Arraignment Proceedings. The Cayuga County District Attorney’s Office requested that Hartfield be remanded, citing four previous felony convictions.
The Finger Lakes Drug Task Force is a collaborative effort involving the New York State Police, the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office, and the Auburn Police Department. The case will be prosecuted by the Cayuga County District Attorney’s Office.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
