BUTLER – A 28-year-old Michigan man has been arrested and charged with drug trafficking in connection with more than 20 people being sickened Saturday at the music festival at Ohio Dreams.

Matthew Lee Gross of Ypsilanti faces a fifth-degree felony charge of drug trafficking. Gross was identified after a witness snapped several photos of him tossing packets of candy in the air Saturday evening during a concert by Cleveland-based rapper Machine Gun Kelly. The witness attempted to follow Gross but lost sight of him in the large crowd gathered for the concert.

Sheriff’s officers later detained Gross after event security personnel located him in the crowd. After Gross consented to a search, drug paraphernalia, drugs, and more packages of drug-laced candy were found in his backpack.

During questioning, Gross gave authorities several different versions of how the items came to be in his possession. Initially he said he found the packets on the ground. Later during questioning, he said he was part of the candy’s brand and was helping to distribute them. Finally, he told deputies he was only giving them out because he heard the parking lot and exit were closed.

A Walmart bag was found nearby with several more candy packets. However, according to police reports, there were too many people nearby to definitively link those packets with Gross.

Deputies also found two State of Michigan ID cards indicating Gross is licensed in that state to possess, grow or be prescribed marijuana.

Gross was taken into custody and taken to the Richland County Jail. During a search at the jail, a baggie containing about 6 grams of marijuana was found in his pants pocket.

Besides drug trafficking, Gross may also face charges of drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

More than 20 people were taken to OhioHealth Mansfield Saturday afternoon and treated after apparently reacting to a THC-laced candy at the music festival. THC is the active ingredient in marijuana.

There were no deaths and authorities report all who fell victim to the incident appear to be OK. 

Emergency personnel from throughout the county rushed to Butler Saturday afternoon in response to the incident, Richland County Sheriff Steve Sheldon said.

Although the large crowd and varied descriptions of who was giving out the drug-laced candy made it difficult to find a suspect, law enforcement maintained an increased presence at the festival Saturday due to concerns of further incidents and the festival continued as planned.

Ohio Dreams is an action sports summer camp at 3495 Tugend Road in Butler. The camp had rented their grounds to the promotion company behind the festival. Saturday night’s Machine Gun Kelly concert was part of Everybody Stands Together Fest, the Last Weekend on Earth show.