A Greenport man previously arrested for drug offenses is facing felony drug charges after the police discovered he was selling drugs during an investigation last Friday, authorities said.

Lavain Creighton, 42, was arrested at his First Street residence after Southold Town police and the Suffolk County East End Drug Task Force searched his home, according to a police statement. The task force had obtained a search warrant for Mr. Creighton’s home after community members complained about drug sales in the area, authorities said.

Police found a “pretty large quantity of cocaine” inside Mr. Creighton’s home, said Southold Police Chief Martin Flatley.

Mr. Creighton was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, fourth-degree criminal possession of a narcotic drug, both felonies, two misdemeanors for seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia for drug scales allegedly found in the residence, authorities said.

Mr. Creighton was held at the Suffolk County jail in lieu of $20,000 cash bail or $40,000 bond, corrections officials said.

Chief Flatley said Mr. Creighton had “numerous prior” run-ins with police.

On June 17, 2011, he was arrested following a police search at a Washington Avenue residence where cocaine, marijuana and “a substantial sum of cash” were seized, according to police reports.

Both he and another man at the residence were charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of marijuana, two counts of first-degree unlawfully dealing with a child and one count of endangering the welfare of a child for “permitting children under the age of 17 to remain upon a premises where drug activity was occurring,” according to police reports.

He pled guilty to unlawfully dealing with a child, a misdemeanor, and was sentenced to pay a $205 surcharge to the court, officials said. The other charges in the case were dismissed. He still owes the court that money, court officials said.

Chief Flatley said the East End Drug Task Force, which was established by the District Attorney’s office and includes officers from all local police departments, allows the town to tackle bigger drug arrests that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.

“It’s something we wouldn’t be able to do on our own because of manpower issues,” he said. “It’s taking one more man who’s apparently dealing in the community [off the street].”

psquire@timesreview.com