2 face drug charges after OSHP stop on I-80

Staff report

HUBBARD

Two suspects are facing drug charges after Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers seized 20 grams of marijuana, 10 grams of hashish, 32 ounces of hash oil and four large marijuana-laced brownies valued at nearly $63,000.

In addition, troopers seized drug paraphernalia and items associated with a marijuana-growing operation after a traffic stop Wednesday on Interstate 80 in Hubbard Township, according to a press release from the patrol.

Troopers stopped a 2003 Honda Element, with Texas registration, for a marked- lanes violation near milepost 235 at approximately 12:36 a.m. Upon approaching the vehicle, the trooper observed a strong odor of raw marijuana. A search revealed the drugs, paraphernalia and the following marijuana-cultivation items: grow lights, fertilizer, exhaust systems, seeds and industrial filters, the patrol’s release said.

The driver, Bryan Joseph Candito, 25, of Los Angeles, was charged with possession of liquid hashish, a third-degree felony; trafficking in drugs and possession of criminal tools, both fourth-degree felonies. He also was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, a fourth-degree misdemeanor; cultivating of marijuana, and possession of marijuana, both minor misdemeanors. Candito’s passenger, Danae Kaitlin Bryan, 19, of Wyomissing, Pa., was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, and possession of marijuana, a minor misdemeanor.

Both suspects were incarcerated in the Trumbull County Jail. If convicted, Candito could face up to 91/2 years in prison and a $17,500 fine.

Hashish oil is a concentrated cannabinoid product with a high THC level. According to the DEA, a drop or two of this liquid on a cigarette is equal to a single “joint” of marijuana, the patrol said.