Six Upper Spencer Gulf drug dealers who have been sentenced in court recently
From drug-dealing couples to supermarket managers with an illegal side hustle, these are the Upper Spencer Gulf drug traffickers who were exposed by the law.
Upper Spencer Gulf
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Regional South Australians are the highest users of methamphetamines, cannabis and fentanyl in the nation, new wastewater testing has revealed.
A spate of Upper Spencer Gulf drug dealers who have been sentenced in court recently support this statistic, with many dealing to fund their own addictions.
The latest Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission wastewater testing, conducted in April and June 2022, involves testing sewage samples from four metropolitan sites and five regional sites in SA.
It provides police with real-time data on drug use in the community and is used as intelligence for policing operations in particular locations.
Rowan Ramsey has been the local member for the electorate of Grey since 2007 and has witnessed first-hand the impact meth can have on the community.
“I do think that we’ve got a real problem, not just in Whyalla, in all our cities in Grey,” Mr Ramsey said.
“It’s having a significant effect on families, workplaces, schools and particularly the crime rate.
“Even if we’ve got adequate services, which I don’t think we do, I think it’s under-recognised, and there are way more drugs going into our communities than is healthy.”
Mr Ramsey said more needs to be done to ensure meth dealers aren’t sent back into the public after going through the court system, with just a slap on the wrist.
“I think it would be fair to say there’s a lot of police force that are incredibly frustrated after they nail someone and then see them back on the streets,” he said.
“There’s not much incentive to catch them just to see them set free.”
These are the Upper Spencer Gulf drug dealers who have faced court recently and the punishments they received.
Maria Kapac
A Whyalla Woolworths manager dodged jail after they were busted selling drugs as a side hustle.
Maria Kate Kapac, 36, was given her “last opportunity” to rehabilitate from using meth to “numb the pain”.
The Port Augusta District Court heard police attended Kapac’s house on July 16, 2020 and found cash and a small amount of meth.
Kapac’s phone was seized and drug dealing messages were found.
Messages on July 7 and 10, 2020 showed Kapac sold one gram of meth for $450 and half a gram of meth for $250.
Kapac, of Whyalla Stuart, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking.
The court heard Kapac had worked at the local Woolworths for 15 years, with her LinkedIn profile listing her as night manager.
Judge Michael Durrant sentenced Kapac to two years and four months jail, with a non-parole period of one year and two months.
The sentence was suspended on a two-year, $100, good-behaviour bond, with supervision for 18 months.
Simon Caldwell and Renae O’Bryan
A father was locked up after the Whyalla drug dealing business he was the driving force behind was exposed by police.
Simon Andrew Caldwell, 47, turned to using methamphetamine as a coping mechanism and joined forces to sell the product with his former partner, Renae Elma O’Bryan.
The District Court heard police found over 7.39g of a substance, which contained 2g of pure methamphetamine, at Whyalla Norrie in October 2020.
Police analysed two phones and found messages consistent with O’Bryan and Caldwell selling methamphetamine for months.
The father-of-two pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking.
O’Bryan, who pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, was sentenced last month to three years and five months jail, with a non-parole period of two years.
During O’Bryan’s sentencing, the court heard she took calls and packaged drugs for sale but was not the driving force behind the business.
Due to her rehabilitation efforts and minimal role in the offending, the sentence was suspended on a $100, two-year good behaviour bond.
The court heard Caldwell turned to using methamphetamine as a coping mechanism after he lost his job and his wife left him.
Judge Press sentenced Caldwell to three years and five months jail, with a non-parole period of one year and nine months.
Siegunn Hayes
A dealer who was taken in custody after being caught with meth on three occasions returned to trafficking straight after being released, a court heard.
Siegunn Hayes, 29, was selling drugs to fund his “raging addiction” but now wants to turn his life around after becoming a father.
The District Court heard police searched Hayes’ home address on October 31, 2020 and found 5.78g of methamphetamine of which 3.89g was pure.
They also found $2380, scales, an ice pipe, resealable bags and methamphetamine cutting agent in a bumbag.
Police re-attended at Hayes’ home on December 22, 2020 after receiving information that he was still trafficking methamphetamine.
In the kitchen police located 10.3g of methamphetamine, of which 6.76g was pure.
Police attended Hayes’ partner’s house later that same month to arrest him.
He fled upon seeing police but was apprehended in a neighbour’s property.
Police found four resealable bags of methamphetamine in a backpack in his partner’s house, as well as $700 on Hayes.
Hayes’ partner is not accused of any wrongdoing.
The court heard police returned to Hayes’ address in July 2021 to arrest him for returning positive drug tests while on home detention bail.
They found five plastic resealable bags containing 32g of mixed methamphetamine, scales, ice pipes, resealable bags and $460.
Hayes, of Whyalla Norrie, pleaded guilty to four counts of drug trafficking.
The court heard Hayes, who had worked as a cleaner and in the scaffolding industry, began using methamphetamine at 19 and instantly became addicted.
Judge Paul Muscat sentenced Hayes to seven years and seven months jail, with a non-parole period of six years and one month.
The sentence was backdated to March 20, 2021.
Lucas Tayler
A drug courier busted transporting 3kg of marijuana to a country town refused to dob in the other people involved, a court heard.
Lucas James Tayler, 22, made the “silly decision” to entangle himself in the enterprise in exchange for a small amount of free weed.
The District Court heard Tayler was travelling as a passenger in a car which was pulled over by police on the Port Augusta Highway on September 12, 2020.
They noticed a smell of marijuana coming from the car and searched it.
Inside a pink duffel bag police found seven bundles of marijuana, totalling over 3kg.
The court heard Tayler said he did not know precisely how much marijuana was in the bag but agreed to courier it from Adelaide to Port Augusta in exchange for half an ounce.
The marijuana was valued between $17,500 and $21,000 if sold in pound lots.
Tayler, of Port Augusta, pleaded guilty to commercial drug trafficking.
Judge Emily Telfer sentenced Tayler to one year and three months jail, with a non-parole period of nine months.
The sentence was suspended on a two-year good behaviour bond, with supervision for 12 months.
Tayler was also ordered to complete 80 hours of community service within one year.
Jessica Pyman
A country dealer who was selling meth as a side hustle was told by a judge he was sparing her jail as an opportunity to “get things right”.
Jessica Yvonne Pyman, 32, hopes to become drug free for her children after several years of addiction led her to street dealing.
The Port Augusta District Court heard police attended at a house on July 16, 2020 and found cash and a small amount of meth.
Pyman’s phone was seized and drug dealing messages were found.
“Those messages established that you had taken a step in the process of sale by seeking finance in the amount of $750 for an unpaid drug debt in order to reload further drugs and, secondly, in respect of the sale of a half ball of methamphetamine,” Judge Michael Durrant said during sentencing.
Pyman, of Whyalla Stuart, pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking.
“You have been drug addicted for about five years, commencing with recreational use,” Judge Durrant said.
He sentenced Pyman to three years and four months jail, with a non-parole period of one year and eight months.
Due to Pyman’s family support and insight into her addiction, the sentence was suspended on a $100, two year good behaviour bond, with supervision for 18 months.
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