Rockhampton’s Lee Stephen Rice sentenced over $100k drug money

A drug user found with keys to a Maserati seized by police during a raid had also been found possessing about $100,000 cash when he was searched at a petrol station.

A silver 2005 Maserati SportsGT sedan and a black Holden ute where seized during a raid on a Clifton Street, Berserker, location, along with drugs, money and jewellery.

A drug user found with keys to a Maserati seized by police during a raid was also discovered with almost $100,000 cash when he was searched at a petrol station.

Lee Stephen Rice, 38, was searched as part of police Operation Uniform Milton targeting drug trafficking in the Rockhampton region.

Justice Graeme Crow said Rice had $97,650 cash in his possession when police searched him at a Bondolla petrol station on May 5, 2022.

Rice told police he had the money on him because he didn’t like “leaving it around”.

However, Justice Crow said three messages recovered by police revealed the cash was destined for the purchase of methamphetamines.

Rice called an associate on May 14 about an arranged drug deal lined up for the day he was “pinched with coin”.

“I was on the way to meet him at nine,” Rice said in the call.

“That’s why I had the money on me.”

The Maserati was found during raids of Rice’s Glendale Road residence and a Clifton Street, Berserker place used for storage on September 1, 2022.

Police also located 2g of marijuana hidden in a large pinball machine in the lounge room at the Glendale residence, along with buprenorphine strips wrapped in Gladwrap, $5570 cash and four pipes.

At the Clifton Street location, they found two glass pipes on a black safe along with gold including 12 rings and bracelets, pendants and gold emerald ring and a 93g ingot worth up to $8600.

Police also located 104 pseudoephedrine tablets, a clip-seal bag containing less than 1g of meth.

Police also searched a safe buried in a concrete slab with carpet laid on top, underneath a desk.

Justice Crow said the safe contained two capped needles, a clip-seal bag containing 0.845g of cocaine, seven buprenorphine strips, 2g of marijuana, digital scales, keys for a Maserati and Kia, and a tablet.

A silver 2005 Maserati SportsGT sedan and a black Holden ute were also seized during the raids and Rice was charged with possessing tainted property in relation to the vehicles.

The court heard the father-of-two, who had worked eight years as a retail manager and several years in supermarkets, was running a towing business at the time of his arrest, following the two raids in September.

His seven-page criminal record was littered with drug offences, including one for possessing 4.1g of meth.

“It’s pretty plain the police will keep an eye on you,” Justice Crow said.

Rice pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a thing - namely the $97,650 cash - used in the connection with possessing a dangerous drug, six counts of possessing a dangerous drug, two of possessing tainted property, one of possessing property suspected of being proceeds of a drug offence and two of possessing used drug utensils.

Justice Crow sentenced Rice to 516 days prison and declared 516 days presentence custody as time served.