Cops: Video of pot plants leads to arrest
Posted: January 15, 2014 - 4:03am
CLINTON, Conn. (AP) -- A Connecticut man faces numerous drug charges after police say he posted a YouTube video of himself giving a tour of what he calls his marijuana garden.
Police in the shoreline town of Clinton, about 20 miles east of New Haven, arrested William Bradley, 46, on Monday following a six-month investigation.
In the video, a man identifying himself as Bradley says he's growing marijuana because it helps relieve symptoms of his terminal cancer. He also solicits donations, saying he wants to give away marijuana to people who need it for medical reasons, instead of selling it to help support himself. Some of the plants are taller than he is.
"Welcome to my beautiful garden," the man says. "As you can see, God has gifted me with an abundance and it's more than I need, so I want to take the extra and give it to people who need the help."
He says in the video that it's October and he intends to harvest the plants in a couple weeks.
Clinton police said they have known Bradley for several years. In 2008, they arrested him on allegations of having more than 10 pounds of marijuana. Court records show he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to sell and was sentenced to two years of probation.
An officer discovered the video and began investigating. Through surveillance, police said they discovered that Bradley was using a storage bin and obtained a search warrant.
On Monday, police said they searched the bin and found more than two pounds of marijuana, more than 20 grams of hashish, two baggies of cocaine, four oxycodone pills, about $1,000 in cash and drug paraphernalia.
Bradley was charged with several drug crimes and detained on $5,000 bail. He was to be arraigned in Middletown Superior on Tuesday. It's not clear whether he has a lawyer.