Green Hill Man Arrested On Drug, Gun Charges

A 23-year-old South Kingstown man was arrested on Monday on multiple felony drug and weapons charges after police found him growing marijuana in his Green Hill home, according to South Kingstown Police records.

David D. Walmsley, 23, of 159 Alder Road, was arrested at his home Monday at 9:11 p.m. and charged with seven felony drug counts and a felony weapons charge.

According to reports by Det. Sgt. Joel J. Ewing-Chow, two probation officers tipped off South Kingstown police when they went to Walmsley’s home around 3:15 p.m. to check on a woman who is on probation. The probation officers reportedly saw a grow operation through the basement window and notified police.

South Kingstown Police later went with the probation officers to Walmsley’s address, where Walmsley denied anyone else lived in the home. When police questioned Walmsley about the grow operation, he voluntarily took detectives into the basement a showed them nine potted marijuana plants enclosed in a tent-type structure complete with a ventilation and lighting system.

Walmsley allegedly told police the marijuana operation belonged to his father, who holds a marijuana patient card from the state Department of Health. Police could not confirm this and arrested Walmsley for marijuana cultivation.

During a search of the property, police allegedly found almost 5 pounds of dried marijuana and $7,000 in cash. They also allegedly found an assortment of prescription pills, a stolen .22 caliber rifle, a 9mm handgun, a scale, marijuana growing supplies, and plastic bags in the home.

According to reports Walmsley has not been employed since March or April of 2011, but told police the cash came from his bank account.

According to state court records, Walmsley has been arrested five times by South Kingstown police on charges ranging from drug possession to illegal firearms to assault.

Walmsley was arraigned in Fourth Division District Court on Tuesday, and pleaded not guilty to eight felony charges: manufacturing marijuana, carrying dangerous weapons while committing a crime, possession/delivering schedule I/II narcotics, and five counts of possession of a controlled substance.

Police were unavailable for comment at the time of publication. Descriptions of this incident are based solely from police officer reports provided to Patch.

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