Man Selling Fake Drugs At Bonnaroo Says He Was 'Doing God’s Work'

Photo via Coffee County Sheriff's Office

It was only the first day of Bonnaroo when a New York man’s dastardly plan to profit off of drug-seeking festivalgoers by selling them fake drugs was foiled.

David Brady of Albany, New York, was at this year's Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee on Thursday when he was caught with a rather large stash of fake illegal substances, The Washington Post reports.

Police spotted Brady sitting under a tent on festival grounds with what “appeared to be narcotics.” The 45-year-old tried ditching the fake drugs by throwing them behind him, but police nonetheless uncovered 37 fake molly pills, 22 bags of fake magic mushrooms, 1,000 hits of fake acid, 20 bags of fake cocaine, and an “incense stick made to look like black tar heroin,” according to the Tennessean.

Brady told police he “was doing God’s work by selling fake drugs.” He was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of counterfeit controlled substances. He was booked in Coffee County jail on $120,000 bond and is expected to appear in court on August 11.

Upon his arrest, it was discovered that Brady was also wanted in Franklin County, Arkansas on a felony bench warrant. The state of Arkansas plans to extradite Brady, who was also charged with being a fugitive from justice.

Potential victims/customers of Brady’s are spared for now. But not everyone at Bonnaroo is looking for a chemically-induced psychedelic experience.

The Soberoo community at Bonnaroo has been around since as early as 2012—providing a lucid hub for attendees who prefer to stay sober. The Soberoo community at the annual music festival—which does not affiliate with any 12-step programs—grew from a couple dozen people to a large tent to having its own camping area.

Soberoo holds multiple meetings per day for sober attendees. “Knowing there’s a meeting here gives me the freedom and the confidence to do what I want,” one sober attendee told The Fix in 2012.

“Soberoo makes no judgment on others’ decisions related to drugs and alcohol, neither condemning nor condoning their use,” according to the Bonnaroo website. “Soberoo is simply like-minded music fans who gather to offer support—and traction in what might otherwise be a slippery environment.”