AKRON, OH (Toledo News Now) - An Akron man is facing felony drug charges after Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers seized a loaded 9 mm handgun, 8 grams of heroin, 1 gram of marijuana and 18 Ecstasy pills during an OVI checkpoint in Summit County Friday.
Troopers with the Canton Patrol post were conducting an OVI checkpoint on South Main Street in Akron, when Noah Eskridge, 23, entered the checkpoint just before midnight. During interaction with Eskridge, troopers detected an odor of alcohol and raw marijuana, so the vehicle was sent into the diversion area.
When asked if he had marijuana on him, Eskridge voluntarily surrendered a small bag from his shorts' pocket weighing 1 gram. A probable cause search of Eskridge also revealed 8 grams of heroin, 18 Ecstasy pills and a small scale. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded 9 mm handgun beneath the driver's seat. The contraband has an estimated street value of $1,400.
Eskridge was incarcerated in the Summit County Jail.
He has been charged with the following:
-Possession and trafficking in drugs, both third-degree felonies
-Carrying a concealed weapon, a fourth-degree felony
-Possession of drug paraphernalia, a fourth-degree misdemeanor
-OVI
If convicted, Eskridge could face up to 11 1/2 years in prison and up to a $25,000 fine.
