Calvin Wayne Miller sentenced in Maryborough Supreme Court for drug trafficking

A twice convicted drug trafficker and burns victim claims he was using marijuana to deal with pain when things escalated.

Calvin Miller is escorted to a police car after being sentenced for drug trafficking.

A man who was severely burnt after being doused in fuel and set alight in a domestic incident had become reliant on cannabis to treat his pain before he started trafficking in the drug to a number of customers, a court has heard.

Calvin Wayne Miller pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and possessing a mobile phone used in commission of the crime of trafficking when he faced Maryborough Supreme Court on Thursday.

The court heard Miller had mainly been involved in dealing cannabis but had at times also sold small quantities of meth and Oxycodone.

Miller had been a dealer for a period of four months in 2023, operating at a street level, and he had 12 customers who he supplied on an average about eight times a week, the court was told.

He had used Snapchat and Facebook to communicate with his customers, the court heard.

Miller had a relevant criminal history, with a previous conviction for drug trafficking cannabis in 2010.

After his most recent arrest he had spent 431 days in presentence custody as he was on parole at the time of committing the offences.

A letter from Miller’s mother and a letter on his own behalf were submitted to the court in his defence.

Calvin Miller at a previous Maryborough court appearance.

The court heard Miller had a relationship that broke down and he had struggled with depression and mental health issues.

About four years ago, Miller had been doused with petrol and set alight, the court was told.

He had suffered severe burns to 55 to 60 per cent of his body and he had been in a coma for two weeks, the court heard.

Miller had started using cannabis to treat his pain and to help him sleep, the court was told.

Justice Peter Davis said in the main there had been the supply of cannabis but there had been occasional supplies of oxycodone and meth.

“It was not an enterprise that was generating huge sums of money,” he said.

Mr Davis says on October 19, 2023, there had been a search of Miller’s residence that led to the discovery of his mobile phone.

That in turn had led to him being charged with trafficking, Mr Davis said.

He said the circumstances that led to Miller’s offending were complicated.

That included an episode of domestic violence against Miller that resulted in him being severely burnt, which led to mental health and other issues, Mr Davis said.

Miller was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, with immediate release on parole, taking into account the time he had already served.