Convicted drug trafficker Jacob John Vivian fronts Rockhampton court for meth charges

A convicted drug trafficker and miner with ties to a house where a seized Maserati was found by police was allegedly busted with phones used to supply drugs, possessing methamphetamines and unlawfully using a car.

Jacob John Vivian

A convicted drug trafficker and miner with ties to a house where a seized Maserati was found by police was allegedly busted with phones used to supply drugs, possessing methamphetamines and unlawfully using a car.

Jacob John Vivian, 32, made a bail application in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on New Year’s Day 2025 after being charged with 16 offences including five counts of possessing a thing used in the commission of a supplying drugs, two of possessing dangerous drugs, two of evading police, one of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, one of possessing a relevant substance, one of disqualified driving, one of possessing an S4 medicine and three other unrelated offences.

He has not been charged in relation to the seized Maserati.

The court heard Mr Vivian is currently on a five-year suspended sentence handed to him in the Brisbane Supreme Court in October 2021 for trafficking drugs – he trafficked in ice between November 12, 2018 and October 28, 2020.

He was also on parole for other offending he has since been convicted for.

Defence lawyer Virginia Ukpabi said Mr Vivian proposed to relocate to Moura and live with his grandmother to get away from Rockhampton where there was a risk of him engaging with alleged co-offenders and continue to be “exposed to poor influences”.

Police prosecutor Brandy Butler, who submitted an 18-page objection to bail affidavit to the court, said Mr Vivian had previously been granted bail to live with his mother several times, but police located him living with other people instead.

She said police had not yet had time to confirm if Mr Vivian’s grandmother was willing to have him live with her at Moura.

Ms Ukpabi said Mr Vivian claimed he would be able to get employment at the mines at Moura.

During his 2021 sentencing, the court heard he had worked at Middlemount South’s Foxleigh Coal Mine as a heavy machinery operator after being charged.

He had served eight months in custody before sentencing in 2021 and the sentence had an operational period of five years.

Ms Ukpabi said Mr Vivian did surrender himself to police on December 20 after failing to appear and was granted bail to appear on January 8.

She pointed out the charges dated back to mid 2023 and had been on bail for that period, along with being charged with further offences.

Ms Ukpabi said the items that were found in the search warrant were found in a bedroom of a share house, but it wasn’t alleged if that bedroom was the defendant’s.

She said there may be issues proving he had control or possession of the items.

According to the bench charge sheets viewed by The Morning Bulletin, one of those searches was the same search another convicted drug user Amie Hutton was sentenced over in the Supreme Court in Rockhampton before Christmas and the same location a silver 2005 Maserati SportsGT sedan was seized a year prior during another police operation.

Amie Louise Hutton. Picture: Facebook

Mr Vivian has been charged with one count of possessing a thing used in the commission of a supplying drugs – a mobile phone -from that June 2, 2023, search of the Clifton Street, Berserker address.

File image of the Clifton Street residence Mr Vivian is accused of having commiting an offence at.

He has also been charged with possessing a relevant substance – a GHB substitute – on December 4, 2024, and possessing methamphetamines on January 11, 2024 and December 31, 2024.

Ms Butler said Mr Vivian was also allegedly found with a significant amount of the drug cutting agent dimethyl sulfone – 19.5 grams total.

The 2005 Maserati Quattroporte SportsGT sedan.

Mr Vivian is accused of evading police on November 30, 2024 on East Street, Rockhampton, and again on December 29, 2024, on North Street, Rockhampton.

The disqualified driving offence is alleged to have occurred on December 29 as well.

Ms Butler said during the first evasion offence, it was alleged Mr Vivian – who was not the driver – grabbed the gear stick and forced into drive and told the person in control of the car to drive.

“Your honour would have no faith that he would comply with any conditions whatsoever, and he has shown that through his history,” she submitted.

Acting magistrate Stephen Byrne refused to grant Mr Vivian bail, remanded him in custody and his matters were adjourned to January 16.