YouTube Star Jack Doherty Arrested in Miami on Drug Charges

Jack Doherty, a popular YouTuber, was arrested by Miami authorities last weekend on multiple drug related charges which were documented in the official Miami-Dade County Corrections system. The 22-year-old YouTuber was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, and resisting an officer without violence, according to public records; he was also charged with possession of amphetamine by the arresting officers.

His digital footprint is now under scrutiny

Over the course of the last three years, Doherty created a community that spans multiple social platforms, and has built a large, dedicated group of fans, who follow him across all of the platforms he is active on. Specifically, he has grown to nearly 15 million subscribers on YouTube, and millions more fans follow him on TikTok and Instagram. He creates content that focuses around high energy stunts, pranks, and unpredictable events, and wraps these with attention-grabbing titles which create a viral buzz around his videos.

For example, his video “I Accidentally Started a Riot” and “Someone Stole My Lamborghini”, helped further reinforce his reputation for creating high-energy content and entertaining his fans, who have come to expect the unexpected from Doherty’s channel. In turn, the news of his arrest has rapidly spread throughout his fan base once booking information began to circulate on-line.

Celebrating life on social media prior to arrest

Hours before being detained, Doherty celebrated what appears to be a typical Miami weekend, as he posted clips of himself on a yacht, and live-streamed parts of his night-out to fans via the social media platform Parti, allowing fans to experience the events unfolding in real-time. The transition from celebrating life on-line to being incarcerated and facing criminal charges brought additional momentum to the rapid response of the on-line community, as fans used forums like Reddit, TikTok, and YouTube comments to dissect the timing of the events leading to his arrest.

Legal next steps still uncertain

At this time, it remains unknown if Doherty has retained counsel, and I was unable to obtain a statement from his representatives. Doherty has had his bail set at $3500, based on publically available data from the county corrections system. Additional details will likely be developed during the ensuing court process, as many continue to watch how this incident may impact Doherty’s larger online persona and business relationships.