Drug dealer hid stash in backside passage

A DRUG dealer who sold methamphetamines to an undercover cop he met at The Strand Hotel was found with restricted items while in prison awaiting sentencing.

A DRUG dealer who sold methamphetamines to an undercover cop he met at The Strand Hotel was found with restricted items while in prison awaiting sentencing.

Jesse Cameron Cornick, 22, pleaded guilty on March 20 in the Supreme Court in Rockhampton to one count each of supplying a dangerous drug, possessing a dangerous drug over two grams, possessing property suspected to be proceeds of a drug crime, dealing with prohibited items, driving while disqualified and four counts of possessing a dangerous drug.

Cornick's Supreme Court career started when he was 19 and was sentenced for his role as a drug mule.

He was found transporting three ounces (67.2g pure) of methamphetamine to the Gold Coast in 2015. Police call-­tapping tracked the supply to the Gladstone region.

This time, Cornick was introduced to an undercover police officer at The Strand Hotel on January 13, 2019, through one of Cornick's drug associates.

Days later, they met again to swap drugs for cash. Cornick said he had only 13.8g of meth but could add two points (. 2gs) from his own stash for $3300.

The transaction took place in the back seat of a car.

Cornick offered the undercover officer a magnetic box to stash the drugs in and place under a car while transporting to avoid police detection.

The court heard the purity of the drugs supplied to the undercover officer was a low percentage.

Cornick's Zilzie residence was searched on January 17, 2019.

They found $1550 in $50 notes hidden in his "backside area". Cornick denied hiding drugs, so he was taken to Yeppoon Hospital for an x-ray - while on the x-ray table, he motioned at a police officer ­towards his backside.

The officer moved Cornick and discovered a clip-seal bag of crystal meth weighing 9.81g on the x-ray table where his backside had been.

He was charged and remanded in custody.

On April 2, Cornick was found with four pouches of ­tobacco, some Tally-Ho ­papers, 15 Lyrica tables and two lighters.

During a search, a passage in his "backside" was discovered.

Cornick had hidden 62 strips of a restricted drug, 20 Diazapem tablets and a further 11 tablets of another restricted drug in a blister pack in the backside passage.

"There's not any one who wants to see you locked up for the rest of your life," Justice Graeme Crow said.

"But your past conduct suggest that's the way you are heading."

Cornick was sentenced to three-and-a-half years' prison, with 428 days presentence custody declared and immediate parole eligibility.

He was also disqualified from driving for two years.