2 arraigned on drug charges

Staff report

NEWTON FALLS

Two men were arraigned in Newton Falls Municipal Court on felony drug-trafficking and drug- cultivation charges after the Trumbull Ashtabula Group Law Enforcement Task Force arrested them at 601 Milton Blvd.

Jack Hurd, 63, of 601 Milton, and Shawn M. Ballard, 30, of 112 Hager St., Hubbard, each appeared last week on charges of marijuana cultivation and cocaine trafficking. No plea was entered. Each was released after posting $25,000 bond, and each returns to court Oct. 26.

If convicted, each man faces up to 16 years in prison.

Police say charges are pending against other individuals after drug agents attacked marijuana-growing operations in Champion, Braceville and Bristol townships last week that resulted in seizure of 222 plants.

Drug agents seized 97 marijuana plants in a field surrounded by woods on Templeton Road in Champion Township and located two people on the property, as well as several trailers, drug paraphernalia and a firearm.

The marijuana has to be dried and weighed before charges are filed in the case, investigators said.

Officers obtained a search warrant for Hurd’s house, where marijuana plants from area fields and plants from an indoor operation were known to be present, TAG said in a press release.

Hurd was arrested in the driveway, and Ballard was found inside the garage, which contained a marijuana-growing operation.

Recovered were nine firearms, large quantities of ammunition, about $2,000 in cash, drug and grow-operation ledgers, a surveillance system, marijuana-growing magazines, a pickup truck and four-wheeler, surveillance monitor, scales and plastic bags, growing equipment, about 20 marijuana plants, starter plants, and three five-gallon buckets containing cut marijuana and 10 large, black garbage bags containing marijuana, TAG said.

Police also searched a location on Carson Salt Springs Road in Newton Township, where grow equipment, 23 marijuana plants, a digital scale, a safe and a firearm were seized. The resident also had a CCW permit which was confiscated by investigators.

At a location on Olive Street in Newton Falls, 38 marijuana plants, $336 in cash, drug paraphernalia and grow-equipment were confiscated.

Residents of the Carson Salt Springs Road and Olive Street locations face drug-cultivation and drug-abuse charges once the marijuana plants are tested, TAG said.

TAG focuses investigations on drug traffickers, firearm traffickers, gangs and homeland security. TAG received assistance from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Department of Transportation and Kinsman Police Department.

Citizens are encouraged to report suspicious activity to TAG at 330-675-7890 or at www.tagohio.com on the Internet.