Brayden Hunter sentenced for trafficking drugs for Nomads motorcycle gang

A man was “seduced” into selling drugs for the profit of the Nomads bikies, with texts revealing members boasting about their club being the richest, a court has heard.

A former bikie turned carer caught with $45,000 worth of meth was selling drugs to profit the Nomads motorcycle gang, a court has heard.

Brayden Mark Hunter, 27, was “seduced” into the bike lifestyle and started selling drugs to prove his commitment to the club and fund his own addiction.

The Adelaide District Court on Monday heard police searched Hunter’s Bolivar cabin on December 11, 2020 and found methamphetamine in resealable bags.

One bag contained 83.6g of crystals, with 78 per cent purity, another bag contained 5.27g, with 61 per cent purity and the third contained 6.75g, with 61 per cent purity.

The court heard the methamphetamine was valued between $18,000 and $45,000, depending on how it was sold.

Police also found a taser, more than $5000 in cash, tick lists, glass pipes and electronic scales.

On one of Hunter’s phones police found text messages between him and the president of the Nomads motorcycle gang over the previous two months.

“The text messages concerned moneys owed for supply of drugs, the quality of drugs, the distribution of the drugs and your membership, participation and commitment to that club,” Judge Liesl Kudelka said during sentencing.

Judge Kudelka said a significant amount of money was passing through Hunter’s hands.

“You knew the profits were going back to the club in circumstances where the person with whom you were communicating was bragging about the club being the richest,” she said.

“You also said you might have a couple of lads out there who might be keen to be drivers and runners.”

Brayden Hunter avoided jail, having reformed after selling drugs for the Nomads bikies. Photo: Facebook

Hunter pleaded guilty to drug trafficking for the benefit of a criminal organisation.

“Your lawyer submitted that you were only 25 when you were seduced into that lifestyle, you were young and addicted to drugs,” Judge Kudelka said.

“You also kept the difference between what you received for selling the drug and what you were required to pay back, which would fund your habit.”

The court heard Hunter’s arrest was a “wake up call” and he cut ties with the Nomads motorcycle gang.

The court heard Hunter was now living with his grandfather as his full-time carer and had not used drugs since his arrest.

Judge Kudelka sentenced Hunter to two years and five months jail, with a non-parole period of one year and one month.

Due to Hunter’s rehabilitation efforts, Judge Kudelka suspended the sentence on a three-year good behaviour bond, with supervision for one year.

“You wouldn’t be walking out that door now if you hadn’t done all the good work that you’ve done over the last 19 months,” she said.

“I appreciate the big effort that it takes to get yourself out of that gang and also to get yourself off drugs.

“Make sure you don’t come back into this court.”

Hunter said he wouldn’t be coming back.