Gladstone’s ‘second biggest drug dealer’ Anthony John Robert Featherstone jailed

The man, who was busted with 120g of pure meth and firearms, said in messages uncovered by police that he had made suppliers a million dollars in the past.

Anthony John Robert Featherstone, 45, has been sentenced a second time for drug trafficking. Generic photo.

A man who boasted that he was Gladstone’s “second biggest drug dealer” has been sentenced a second time for drug trafficking.

Anthony John Robert Featherstone, 45, pleaded guilty at a contested sentence in the Supreme Court at Rockhampton on August 23 to numerous offences, the most serious being trafficking dangerous drugs.

All of the facts in the matters were agreed with the exception of prosecution claims that Featherstone was indebted to his suppliers for $250,000, and that his drug trafficking had increased after he had obtained bail.

After hearing the prosecution and defence cases, including evidence from Featherstone himself, Justice Graeme Crow said he had to satisfy himself, on the balance of probabilities, that the $250,000 allegation was true.

“That is particularly relevant to the latter passage - increase in proliferation,” Justice Crow said.

The prosecution said text messages that Featherstone sent to numerous people were sufficient evidence of his debt position to his suppliers immediately before his detection on December 2, 2019.

Featherstone’s Defence Barrister Scott Lynch, who called on Featherstone to give evidence before Justice Crow, argued that his client was indebted for an amount in the vicinity of $40,000 to $50,000.

Justice Crow said the three text messages containing Featherstone’s admissions “do not appear to me to have the feel of a boast”.

“They seem to be some considered words of yours in text form,” Justice Crow said.

“The fact that you had a lot riding on it.

“That you’re $250,000 in debt, said prior to your arrest.

“And it also is similar to the two texts of the 5th of April - the second day after you were released.

“It also fits in with the mathematical calculations that are shown in the latter texts concerning the way in which you would pay the debt back.”

Justice Crow added: “I do accept that you were in debt, at one point to your suppliers, in the vicinity of $250,000...and I will act on it accordingly.

“The level of debt at $250,000 is not inconsistent with the type and level of drug trafficking that you engaged upon, particularly when count two is taken into account, that on the 2nd of December you were located with approximately 120 grams of pure methamphetamine, which is quite a large sum, as well as firearms.

“It is indicative of the other agreed facts - that is, that you were not only a street level trafficker, but you engaged to some extent, and from time to time, in wholesale drug trafficking.”

In relation to the prosecution claim that Featherstone’s drug trafficking increased after his release on bail, the prosecution relied on a Facebook message in which Featherstone admitted to selling 4kg of meth in four days for $400,000.

“You confessed in messages to making them (suppliers) a million dollars in the past,” Justice Crow said.

“The statement of making a million dollars in the past, or preceding statements of selling many kilograms of methamphetamine in but a few days, were statements in fact made by you.

“However I accept your evidence that they were statements made in boast, and with the encouragements to persons that owed you money in order to recover your debts.

“The amounts involved, many kilograms in but a few days, is inconsistent with your prior level of trafficking.

“It is also inconsistent with the physical findings.

“I do not accept that there has been an increase in proliferation.”

Aside from the trafficking, among the other charges that Featherstone pleaded guilty to were numerous counts of drug possession and numerous counts of possessing weapons.

Before handing down a sentence for these offences, Justice Crow noted that Featherstone’s guilty plea meant a breach of a previous suspended sentence for drug trafficking.

Justice Crow ordered the two years and nine months left to run on that suspended sentence be activated, and be served on top of the imminent sentence.

For these offences, Featherstone was sentenced to seven years’ jail.

Justice Crow set a parole eligibility date of January 22, 2023, declaring 585 days’ pre-sentence custody as time served.