CLINTON, Conn. (FOX CT) — A man who posted a video of himself on YouTube walking through his marijuana garden while asking people to donate money so he could give the “medicine” away rather than sell it was charged Monday with a host of drug-dealing offenses.
Clinton police said Monday they have been investigating since October, after a police officer saw the YouTube video, and obtained a search warrant for a storage bin controlled by William Bradley, 46.
Police said they seized more than 2 pounds of marijuana, more than 20 grams of hashish, two bags of cocaine, 4 Oxycodone pills, $1,017 in cash and drug paraphernalia, such as packaging materials.
They charged Bradley with possession of narcotics with intent to sell, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of hashish with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia and operating a drug factory. He was held on $5,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Superior Court in Middletown.
Clinton police Officer Adrian Santiago saw Bradley’s video on YouTube and began investigating, police said. In the video, Bradley walks among the plants, which tower over his head. He described the marijuana in his plot, which called Hope Garden, as medicine that he wanted to give away to help other people.
“Welcome to my beautiful garden,” he begins. He pulls the plants down for the camera and calls them flowers. “I want everyone to see how beautiful they are. This one’s so nice.”
“I’m growing this medicine for myself because, like I said, I do have terminal cancer,” he said. “It’s something that I’ve been dealing with for several years now, and it’s always a struggle. This medicine really helps. 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 that need help.” It could not be verified whether Bradley is ill.
Bradley said he wanted people to send him money so that he can give the marijuana away.
“Help me give this away if you can, maybe have a fundraiser, go to your church or synagogue or mosque or organization or school, or anywhere, and start a collection so that we together can help people, help people that need this medicine and get it to the right people,” he continues.
“Don’t let me sell it, so that children get a hold of it because I don’t want people to buy this and then end up selling it to children. I think that’s ridiculous. Let’s get it to the right person.
“I don’t need the help, but I want it. I don’t want to be a criminal. I don’t want to have to sell this.”
The video was posted Oct. 12, and in it Bradley said that he had a motorcycle accident a few weeks ago.
“I suffered a severe head injury and I don’t even think I’m thinking correctly,” he says.
Police said they were familiar with Bradley because of his record of selling marijuana.
Bradley was charged in 2008 with operating a drug factory after Clinton police and the statewide narcotics task force raided his home and found more than 10 pounds of marijuana, hashish and psychedelic mushrooms.
Police also seized cash and cookies and brownies that had marijuana baked into them. He pleaded guilty as part of an agreement and received a five-year suspended prison sentence and probation.
