It's actually legit: Several arrested for drugs at Nelson park Email To A Friend Printer Friendly Comments Add to Reddit Add to Digg Add to del.icio.us about 12 hours ago By Diane Smith Record-Courier staff writer NELSON — Several people arrested in this weekend’s drug sting at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park remained in jail Monday as authorities combed through the evidence. Officers from the Portage County Drug Task Force arrested eight people and charged them with multiple drug-related felonies following three days of targeted enforcement at the park at 12001 S.R. 282. Portage County Sheriff David Doak said about $4,600 in cash was seized along with a large box-type moving van full of drug paraphernalia. On Monday, the boxes of items removed from the van were laid out at the Portage County Sheriff’s Office. The Portage County Drug Task Force started the sting Thursday after seizing boxes of drugs in the van. Inside the park this weekend, undercover agents purchased ecstasy, oxycodone, marijuana and psilocybin, a hallucinogenic found in different species of mushrooms. Edward Kleppinger, 49, of Toledo, owned the van and was facing a charge of trafficking in drugs, a fifth-degree felony. Kleppinger was freed after posting 10 percent of a $25,000 bond. Others arrested were: • David L. George, 21, of Nelsonville, facing a charge of trafficking in drugs, a fifth-degree felony, and aggravated possession of drugs, a third-degree felony. George was freed after posting 10 percent of a $60,000 bond. • Michael S. Williams, 21, of Moon Twp., Pa., facing one charge of aggravated drug trafficking, a fourth-degree felony, and two counts of aggravated possession of drugs, both fifth-degree felonies. Williams was freed after posting 10 percent of a $50,000 bond. • Shawn M. Smith, 29, of Zelienopole, Pa., facing two counts of drug trafficking, fourth-degree felonies. • Michael Gaskalla, 22, of Port Clinton, facing two counts of aggravated possession of drugs, both fifth-degree felonies. • Benjamin L. Watson, 30, of Ashland, facing two counts of trafficking in drugs, one a fourth-degree felony and the other a fifth-degree felony and possession of drugs, a fourth-degree felony. • Michael S. Watson, 36, of Ashland, facing two counts of trafficking in drugs, one a fourth-degree felony and the other a fifth-degree felony, and one charge of possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. • Brian E. Noel, 36, of Wheeling W.Va., facing two counts of trafficking in drugs, fifth-degree felonies. Noel is free after posting 10 percent of a $25,000 bond. Smith, Gaskalla, Noel and the Watsons remained in jail, with no bond set. This year’s Blossom Blast Spring Hookah event was the 10th annual, according to the park’s Web site. The weekend featured Ekoostik Hookah and several other bands. Doak said authorities had not yet had a chance to calculate the street value of drugs seized during the raid. Included in the paraphernalia were several bongs, some of which carried price tags of $200 or more, and several cartons of cigarettes of unknown origin. He noted that this tally included only the items from one vendor at the park. “We’re going to be keeping an eye on that place for quite a while,†he said.