Ace David Draheim in court for possessing and supplying drugs

Waiting in the watch-house to be sent to jail, a convicted Queensland drug dealer and meth addict was searched by police. What they found was as disturbing as the crimes that landed him there.

Ace David Draheim, 31.

A Central Queensland drug dealer, who tried to hide balloon-wrapped syringes, marijuana and opioids in his underwear, has been sentenced for a string of crimes.

Ace David Draheim, 31, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Supreme Court this week to four counts of supplying dangerous drugs, two counts of possessing dangerous drugs, and one count each of possessing anything used in the commission of crime, possessing property suspected of having been used in connection with the commission of a drug offence, possessing tainted property, unlawfully possessing weapons and breaching a bail condition.

The court heard police attended a disturbance on Lawrie St, Gracemere, on July 27, 2022 at 10.50pm that involved the revving of a car and fight between two men.

When police asked Draheim why he was there, he responded he was out to see one of his mates.

Draheim “appeared nervous” and would look at his phone while talking to police and was detained for a search after officers saw a knife and clip seal bags in a pocket in his backpack.

In Draheim’s backpack, police also found two clip seal bags containing 2.66g of pure meth, seven Suboxone films, electronic scales, clip seal bags, two phones, $2010 cash and a knife.

Justice David Crow noted Draheim had told police he did not use the meth and he had picked it up off the ground at a car wash on Musgrave St, Rockhampton.

“That was plainly a lie,” Justice Crow said.

“The Crown proceeds on the basis that you possessed the methamphetamine for a commercial purpose.”

The court heard on the same night Draheim was found with meth, he was on his way to supply that drug to a person in Gracemere.

It also heard Draheim supplied or arranged to supply marijuana and meth on four occasions between July 21 and 27, 2022 following an analysis of Messenger on the two phones seized by police.

The drug supplies included an offer to supply 1g of marijuana, an arrangement to supply 0.5g of meth, the actual supply of 0.3g of meth for $220 and an arrangement to supply 0.5g of meth for $360 on July 27, 2022 which did not happen because he was intercepted by police.

Defence barrister Maree Willey said her client hadn’t used meth for a significant period of time and intended to take part in drug rehabilitation programs while in custody.

The court heard Draheim started using marijuana at 13 and meth when he was 17.

Justice Crow sentenced Draheim to two years prison with parole release on May 13, 2024.

The morning after his sentence however, he was back in court, this time Rockhampton Magistrates, on fresh charges.

The court heard on Friday that after Draheim was sentenced on Thursday in the Rockhampton Supreme Court, he was taken to the watch-house and searched.

In his underwear police found wrapped in balloons, syringes and needles, less than 1g of Subutex strips and 1g of marijuana.

Defence lawyer Stephanie Nicholas said her client was a drug addict and it was “extremely unsophisticated offending”.

“That was for his personal use,” Ms Nicholas said.

Draheim pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing dangerous drugs and one count of possessing utensils or pipes for use.

He was sentenced to six months in jail, to be served concurrently with the Supreme Court sentence.