UNION TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A 45-year-old Golf Manor man was charged Tuesday with felony drug trafficking after authorities say police found more than 200 grams of marijuana packaged for sale, along with a digital scale and empty baggies, during a search of two vehicles in a Walmart parking lot.
Edward M. New, of Golf Manor, faces a fourth-degree felony charge of trafficking in drugs involving marijuana in an amount greater than 200 grams but less than 1,000 grams, according to arrest records.
An affidavit, sworn by Union Township Police Officer Torok, states the incident happened about 9:16 a.m. Monday at the Walmart store at 4370 Eastgate Square Drive in Union Township.
Torok wrote that he observed two vehicles parked side by side, ran their license plates and then checked records for a man who exited one of the vehicles. New had an active warrant. When officers made contact, New gave officers the false name of Josh Hedges, date of birth May 2, 1986, but a Bureau of Motor Vehicles photo confirmed his identity, the affidavit says.
Officer Holden responded with a K-9 unit. A free-air sniff by the dog led to a search of the vehicles, where officers found 151 grams of marijuana in 10 separate resealable plastic bags and 80 grams in six more bags, along with approximately 20 empty resealable containers and a digital scale, according to the affidavit. The total gross weight exceeded 200 grams.
New had $60 in U.S. currency, and both he and his companion admitted that New had given the companion $470 and one bag of marijuana, which was located in her purse, the affidavit states.
New’s next court appearance was not immediately available.
