BUSTED: 11+ convicted Central Qld drug dealers named
From a young man motivated by YouTube to an erratic driver who was caught out after crashing into a pole, here’s more than 11 Central Queensland drug dealers convicted of their crime. FULL LIST.
Rockhampton
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Central Queensland’s peddlers of destruction have been creative and cunning in their efforts to make a buck off of people’s addictions.
If not for a police sting or telecommunication interception, it’s often the most unusual circumstances that drug dealers get caught out, such as their car damaging a drive-through or being pulled over for a random breath test.
Here are more than 11 drug dealers from Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Biloela and Gladstone that have been convicted of their crimes.
Russ Puvadune Haxell, busted during an RBT at Yeppoon Puma servo on November 15, 2019
Haxell was 25 years old when his drug stash was uncovered during a random breath test in Yeppoon.
Haxell pleaded guilty on March 17, 2021, in the Supreme Court at Rockhampton to five counts of supplying dangerous drugs, one count of possessing a dangerous drug in excess of two grams, and four summary drug charges.
The court heard he had bloodshot eyes and kept reaching for his pocket when he was pulled over and sure enough, police found meth, a scoop, a pill which Haxell said was Viagra, and $480 in cash.
His phone had messages showing he supplied drugs to one woman multiple times in October 2019, as well as other messages about declining to supply and about his drug debt.
His defence barrister Scott Moon told the court he’d since bought a house with his mother.
Haxell was sentenced to three years imprisonment with immediate parole.
Teej Lloyd Williams and dad Trevor John Williams from Wandal trafficked drugs in 2016
This father and son duo’s drug operation was brought down after Trevor’s telecommunications were intercepted by police, the Supreme Court in Rockhampton heard on June 1, 2020.
Their business pushed 5kg of marijuana, 135 grams of meth, and some amphetamines raking in about $84,580 between July and September 2016.
The court heard the Williams’ made multiple threats to collect debts including property possession and threats of violence, with one of Teej’s calls saying “flog that c--t - get everything he has” in reference to $23,000.
Police uncovered 27.496g of meth and 7g of marijuana in total during the raid on September 8, 2016.
They also found large sums of money and homemade molotov cocktails, with their cars decked out with hidden compartments for transporting drugs.
Justice Graeme Crow told Trevor of the effects this behaviour had on the community.
“You don’t get to see what the courts see every day,” Justice Crow said.
“In this court, I have had families of persons that have been killed sitting at the back - killed for drug debts.
“That is the effect on the society, homes get broken into, violence is committed upon people … when people break into their houses to steal to fund their drug habits to pay people like you.
“You may have been doing it for your benefit and your family‘s benefit but many families have suffered because of what you have done.”
Trevor was convicted of five counts of drug offences including trafficking and was thrown behind bars for a five-year term, with his parole release set at June 30, 2021.
Teej was convicted of possession and was given three years imprisonment with immediate parole.
Corey James Baker’s Mount Morgan marijuana farm discovered on April 13, 2020
Baker’s green gardens were discovered after police raided his house and found five 50cm marijuana plants in his backyard, more than $3000 cash, two sets of scales, a grinder, bong, a box of clip seal bags, and an iPhone.
Prosecutor Tiffany Lawrence said Baker told police he’d grown the plants from seeds and watered them with fish tank water, because he believed it would be better with the potassium in it, the Rockhampton District Court heard on June 8, 2021.
Baker told police he used the phone to sell marijuana to about 250 customers including 30-40 regulars and police were able to identify 22 customers through text messages, as well as sales information from Snapchat screenshots, according to Ms Lawrence.
The court heard Baker initially wanted to make enough to fund his own habit after purchasing his first two ounces (about 28g each) for $600 in September 2018, only to sell it for $50-$100 profit.
He bought a pound (about 454g) per week and kept two ounces for himself, making $600 per pound he flipped.
Ms Lawrence said Baker bought 59 pounds of marijuana in 18 months, worth between $259,600 and $283,200 leaving him with a profit between $14,160 and $37,760.
Baker also told police he kept knives for protection, but never used them.
His house was raided again while Baker was on bail and police found four grams of marijuana, two electrical scales, a cone piece and two pipes with residue on June 13, 2020.
Baker’s defence barrister Tom Polley told the court Baker had a problem with marijuana since he was 13 and his drug addict mother gave him meth when he was 17, but he didn’t like it.
Pleading guilty to one count of trafficking, one count of producing a drug, two counts of possessing a drug among other offences, Baker was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison with parole release on December 8, 2021.
Tyson Jeffrey Ellis caught after damaging Gladstone Maccas drive-through on February 9, 2020
When Ellis drove through the McDonalds Gladstone drive-through at 4.40am, he lost control of the car and the tray hit a sign causing $6476 in damages.
He sped away from the scene, without leaving his information, and eventually crashed into a power pole, the Supreme Court in Rockhampton heard on April 27, 2020.
Ellis’ house was raided on February 12, 2020 where police found more than 8.86g of pure meth, lyrica, amitriptyline, morphine, electric scales, clip seal bags, a firearm and $900.
This was on top of a whopping 368g of marijuana.
Just over two months after being let out on bail, Ellis was busted with 0.81g of meth and 2.09g of a cutting agent.
Ellis’ defence barrister Tom Polley said he had been sober for five or six years in the past but got back into drugs after losing his Hervey Bay job and his relationship breakdown.
Mr Polley said Ellis started using marijuana due to his peers and started meth by age 16.
He pleaded guilty to 20 offences including two counts of trafficking, one count of possessing more than 2g of drugs, two counts of possessing weapons of which one was altered, among others.
Justice Crow sentenced him to four years imprisonment with the balance to be suspended after being released on August 26, 2021, for the first trafficking count.
He was sentenced to three years imprisonment for the second trafficking count with parole release on August 26, 2021.
Joshua Bryan Fields from Clinton caught multiple times from 2019 to 2020
Fields was pulled up near an overpass on the Dawson Highway about 6pm on August 15, 2019.
He was pushing a motorised scooter with plates attached to the back and police found 10.2g of marijuana and digital scales in the storage compartment of the scooter.
Fields told police he had a ‘few balls of meth’ when his Gladstone house was raided for the first time on February 21, 2020.
He was found with two flick knives, $645 cash, 8.821g of meth, 0.4g of marijuana, an iPad, an iPhone digital scales, handcuffs, an electric grinder, manual grinder, two notebooks with tick sheets, two water pipes and two glass pipes.
A Holden Frontier in the backyard was found to have had knives, swords, four firearms including a full magazine of ammo, alongside a tin with 203 various rounds.
All firearms had their serial numbers filed off but none were identified as being stolen.
A spud gun and Samsung phone were also found.
“The firearms are of great concern,” Justice Crow told the Supreme Court in Rockhampton.
Police analysed the electronic devices and found Fields had been trafficking meth and marijuana between October 23, 2019 and February 21, 2020.
Evidence showed he had three suppliers and identified 30 customers.
He also had custody of a motorbike for one customer’s outstanding drug debt.
Fields was given bail on March 27, 2020 but two months later, police saw him entering a Clinton servo and they suspected he was avoiding the police.
Police searched him and found 0.2g of crystal meth, some Viagra, a knuckleduster and $530 of cash.
While with police, he got text messages indicating he was on a drug delivery run.
This incident landed him in custody until his sentencing.
Fields had also committed shocking domestic violence offences during the trafficking period, including saying “you’re lucky I don’t strangle you to death, c---,” to his former partner while choking her, the court heard.
He pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking, three counts of possessing drugs, two counts of possessing weapons, possessing an explosive, among other offences, as well as deprivation of liberty and choking.
With regard to Parole Board delays, Justice Crow sentenced Fields to five years imprisonment with the balance to be suspended for five years after 20 months for the trafficking, and a concurrent three year prison sentence with parole eligibility on December 21, 2021.
De-elle Shae Randall busted after police raid Koongal home on August 23, 2019
The Supreme Court in Rockhampton heard this young mother kept a record of her drug sales on a ‘naughty list’.
Police found 3.902g of pure meth, two digital scales, five diazepam tablets, a used glass pipe and some marijuana in her house.
When they found her black book with the ‘naughty list’, they also found a note titled ‘De-elle’s strategy to change her life and stop selling white’.
The cops did another search of Randall’s home on February 19, 2020 where they found a glass pipe in her bum bag and 0.16g of meth.
Police got a hold of her phone and revealed her drug trafficking operation, with four clients including ‘Bubblegum Bill’ and supplier ‘Jesus’ through Snapchat and Facebook Messenger.
Randall pleaded guilty to one count of drug trafficking, one count of possessing a dangerous drug over 2g and a number of other offences on April 27, 2021.
She was sentenced to three years imprisonment with parole release on January 26, 2022 after serving nine months behind bars.
Beau Rasmussen and Erin Dawn Green’s Biloela home raided on January 31, 2019
The Supreme Court in Rockhampton heard on August 7, 2020 that the former couple sold at least 170g of meth in 126 transactions to 22 customers between July 9 and December 19, 2018.
Prosecutor Josh Phillips told the court Rasmussen made $41,125 and Green $10,949.
About 87.2g of marijuana was supplied, the court heard.
Rasmussen sourced the meth from the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, the court heard.
Justice Crow described the offending as, “a truly evil thing that you became involved in”.
Mr Phillips told the court that Rasmussen wanted to be a gangster and he made threats of violence to get debts repaid.
Rasmussen’s defence barrister Maree Willey said he was boasting about the comments.
The pair were pulled over while driving at Thangool and Green returned a positive drug test on December 14.
While at the station, Rasmussen contacted someone else and told them to call triple-0 to distract police while he tried to burgle the station for meth, but that plan never got off the ground.
Their Biloela house was raided on January 21, 2019 and police found $795 and an expandable baton.
Green’s defence barrister Jordan Ahlstrand said the mother-of-two turned to drugs after her former marriage broke down and quickly became addicted to meth after meeting Rasmussen.
Rasmussen pleaded guilty to one count each of trafficking, fraud, possessing a weapon, possessing a drug over 2g, disqualified driving, four counts of supplying drugs among others.
He was jailed for nine years with parole eligibility on November 30, 2021, having served 554 days in custody prior to sentencing. His licence was disqualified for two years.
Green pleaded guilty to one count each of trafficking, fraud and possessing a dangerous drug over 2g and was given 8.5 years imprisonment with parole eligibility at September 29, 2021. She only served one day of presentence custody.
The court heard Green and Rasmussen are now separated.
Jessie Allana Storm Bingham-James from Mount Morgan trafficked from 2019 to 2020
Her upbringing was a rough one, growing up without running water or electricity and in an abusive environment where she was kicked out twice.
Despite this, she trafficked drugs with her partner Dillon Marshall.
Her trafficking took place over seven months on 204 occasions to at least 52 customers.
During a raid on their home on March 10, 2020, police found 430 grams of marijuana and some cash.
Prosecutor Matthew Sutton told the Rockhampton District Court on July 29, 2021 they were found in possession of two police scanners and they would pass on the information to their clients.
Bingham-James’ defence barrister Jordan Ahlstrand said she was one of 22 kids on her abusive mother’s side.
She pleaded guilty to one count each of trafficking drugs, producing drugs, possessing drugs, among other offences.
Judge Jeff Clarke sentenced Bingham-James to two years prison with immediate parole release.
Dillon Marshall caught with Bingham-James on March 10, 2020
Bingham-James’ boyfriend was also accused of the 204 supplies to 52 people.
His defence barrister Julie Marsden said Marshall had been in a relationship for eight years with Bingham-James, but he hasn’t heard from her in months and considered the relationship to be over.
She said Marshall had watched a YouTube video which motivated him to start growing weed.
Judge Clarke said there was no sophistication to the trafficking, the Rockhampton District Court heard on May 14, 2021.
Marshall pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking, producing drugs, possessing drugs, possessing the police scanners and other offences.
He was sentenced to 2.5 years imprisonment with immediate parole, and had already served 363 days presentence custody.
Gregory Robert Hixon supplied weed to Rockhampton locals, but was caught on August 26, 2019
Hixon may well have gotten away with using drugs for over 40 years but he was eventually busted for trafficking marijuana.
Prosecutor Matthew Sutton told the Rockhampton District Court that Hixon was found during the police’s Operation Romeo Justice which targeted the sale and distribution of marijuana and methamphetamines.
The court heard his residence was searched by police on August 26, 2019 after he trafficked from May 14 to July 10, 2019.
Mr Sutton said he had between seven to 49 customers who he dealt with face-to-face instead of over the phone.
One of his supply offences was less than one kilogram at $7200 per kilo between May 24 and May 28, 2019.
Hixon was prepared to supply 1.81kg of weed on May 28, 2019.
His defence barrister Nathan Boyd said he had a lifelong addiction to marijuana and drank heavily for some time.
“Other people who have used marijuana for 40 years have problems getting out of bed,” Judge Clarke said, questioning how he could run a trafficking operation.
Hixon pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking and nine counts of drug supply.
He was sentenced to 2.5 years imprisonment to be suspended for three years after four months behind bars.
Gregory Leo Lowien - “the biggest shifter in town”
Lowien was the kingpin of one of Rockhampton’s biggest drug syndicates, which was eventually uncovered by police and led to a number of people being sentenced for drug trafficking.
The Supreme Court in Rockhampton heard he reeled in about $2.2 million selling meth, cocaine, marijuana and MDMA between April 31, 2016 and March 21, 2017.
They sourced up to 17kg of meth and 12kg of marijuana, with cocaine being shipped from Cambodia and China.
Lowien boasted to an undercover cop that he was ‘the biggest shifter in town’ and make $150,000-$200,000 a month which he fed into two legitimate businesses.
Lowien pleaded guilty to one count each of trafficking dangerous drugs, burglary, assault occasioning bodily harm, supplying a dangerous drug, possessing cash suspected to be proceeds of drugs, possession of a drug utensil, having a knife in a public place and one unregistered vehicle charge.
He was jailed for 10 years and must serve at least eight years of actual time behind bars.
“The damage that you have done, Mr Lowien, is enormous,” Justice Clarke said.
Lowien unsuccessfully tried to appeal the sentence to the Court of Appeal in 2020.
Rebecca Michelle Cooke, Brenden Michael Manitzky and Brendan Arthur Lynch were also convicted of trafficking as part of Lowien’s syndicate.
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