SK man facing drug, weapons charges

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) - A South Kingstown man is under arrest and facing multiple drug and weapons charges after a probation check.

South Kingstown Police tell Eyewitness News that two probation officers were checking on a probationer on Alder Road on January 30th when they noticed a bright light through a basement window.  They looked inside and saw several marijuana plants being grown, at which point they left and contacted the SKPD.

A South Kingstown officer met them and they knocked on the door.  23 year-old David Walmsley answered the door and allowed them inside, where they smelled a strong odor of marijuana.  Police say the person they had intended to check on was not there and Walmsley didn't know the person.

Two detectives arrived to further investigate the marijuana plants and Walmsley voluntarily showed them the nine plants he was growing inside a tent.

Later that day, several officers returned with a search warrant, finding almost five pounds of packaged marijuana, $7,300 in cash, a 9mm pistol, a .22 caliber rifle with a 100-round drum magazine, non-prescribed medications and various equipment for growing and maintaining the plants.  That evidence along with the plants and several electronics were seized.

Officers also discovered that the rifle had been reported stolen from New York state in 2009.

Walmsley was arrested and arraigned Tuesday; he faces nine different criminal charges and is being held on $35,000 surety bail.