Jesse Leo pleads guilty to drug, weapon offences in court

A Sunshine Coast man previously busted over a homemade drug lab has faced court again, this time charged over weapon and drug offences.

Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

A Bli Bli homeowner previously sentenced for his role in a suburban drug lab has blamed his housemates for a number of items police uncovered at the property.

Jesse Leo appeared in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Wednesday, January 24, where he pleaded guilty to nine charges.

The court was told the series of charges spanned back to 2021 and involved unlawful possession of a taser, possessing dangerous drugs and two breaches of his bail conditions in late 2023.

Police prosecutor Lee Allan told the court police searched Leo’s Bli Bli property he shared with his co-accused and uncovered a number of drug utensils, the drug Diazepam and a taser.

“Police conducted a search in the garage and inside the house and located a number of items in relation to drug matters, police also located a black pouch with a taser inside, that was located in the garden in a black pot,” senior constable Allan said.

Jesse Leo leaves the Maroochydore Court house on November 28, 2023.

Defence solicitor for Leo, Chris Lumme, told the court the Bli Bli man had “regrettably” allowed two other men to live in the house, adding Leo had received a District court sentence on November 28, 2023 along with two co-accused housemates.

“He owned the premises and he was renting it out to the two co-accused, regrettably as it turned out he wasn’t actually paid any rent by them over that period but he has permitted them to be there, knowing they had drugs on the premises,” Mr Lumme said.

“He is liable as the occupier of the premises to the possession as well as the other items he has pleaded guilty to.”

Mr Lumme told the court Leo had forgotten his reporting obligations after the District Court sentence resulting in the breach of bail charges.

Maroochydore Magistrate Rod Madsen ordered Leo be fined a total of $400 for the offences.

Convictions were recorded.