Sunshine Coast meth offenders exposed | List
From drugged-out crime sprees to ice-fuelled break-ins, these are some of the Sunshine Coast’s ice heads who have passed through court in 2022. SEE THE LIST:
Police & Courts
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Methamphetamine abuse has become a blight on the Sunshine Coast with the court system becoming a revolving door for many offenders.
According to state government statistics there were 3910 drug related offences across the region from 2020-21.
The National Drug Strategy Household Survey in 2019 revealed 5.8 per cent or 1.2m Australians over the age of 14 had used meth with 1.3 per cent reported using it recently.
Of those who had used meth in the past 12 months, 17 per cent said they used it on a weekly or daily basis.
Noosa CIB Detective Sergeant Tim Burns said police was focused on ways to track down and arrest drug offenders on the Sunshine Coast.
“Police will continue to focus their efforts on powdered drugs like meth or ice, and particularly those who are dealing and trafficking,” Sergeant Burns said.
Here is a list of some of the Sunshine Coast’s ice-head offenders who have passed through our courts since the start of 2022.
CONVICTIONS
Tyler Lyle Lindsey Cone sentenced for crime spree
A Nambour meth addict armed himself with a gun, stole multiple cars, reversed into a police car and deliberately hit a pedestrian during an “erratic, volatile and menacing” crime spree.
Tyler Lyle Lindsey Cone was sentenced to four-and-a-half years’ prison with an immediate parole eligibility date after he pleaded guilty to over 40 charges including, arson, four counts of unlawfully using a car, five counts of stealing and dangerous driving between January 12 and February 7, 2020.
Crown prosecutor Rebecca Marks said Cone’s behaviour was “erratic, volatile and menacing” when he deliberately hit a pedestrian who had confronted him about driving a stolen Audi on the wrong side of the road on February 3 2020.
Five hundred and seventy four of Cone’s 710 days of pre-sentence custody was declared as time already served.
The suspended sentence given to Cone on November 30, 2018 in Maroochydore Magistrates court was activated.
Convictions were recorded.
Zachary Bartlett pleads guilty to supplying, possessing drugs
A 42-year-old Caloundra dad has had his drug deal fail retold in court after he unknowingly bought half a kilo of fake meth.
Zachary Bartlett had organised to trade his car for the large amount of ice when he was “duped”, Maroochydore District Court heard.
Crown prosecutor Erin Kelly said the 42-year-old had actually been sold a cutting agent called MSM used to dilute drugs.
Defence barrister Nathan Turner told the court that Bartlett and his partner at the time were “heavy drug addicts” leading up to the botched deal.
Mr Turner said they had been using up to “half an eight ball” of ice a week.
Bartlett pleaded guilty to supplying and possessing drugs and was sentenced to three years’ jail but was given immediate parole.
Convictions were recorded.
Shaun Desmond Glen Williams asleep at the wheel after come down
A 27-year-old Baringa dad coming down from drugs caused havoc on busy Caloundra roads after he drove dangerously while falling asleep at the wheel.
Shaun Desmond Glen Williams was jailed for 11 offences committed over a protracted period in 2021, ranging from assault to uttering a forged document.
The court heard the most serious crime took place on November 3, 2021 in Caloundra West where Williams was seen driving dangerously while coming down off meth and amphetamines.
Police prosecutor Amanda Brewer said cars had to take evasive action during the frightening encounter along Caloundra Rd about 4pm while Williams kept falling asleep at the wheel.
Williams pleaded guilty to five counts of breaching bail and one of entering premises, assault, stealing, uttering a forged document, driving under the influence and dangerous operation of a vehicle.
He was given a head sentence of two years’ jail with a parole release date of June 3, 2022, with 113 days declared as time served in pre-sentence custody.
Convictions were recorded.
Emily Kathleen Warren’s ice-fuelled charity robbery
An ice-fuelled burglar who targeted a charity during a drug-hazed crime spree enlisted the help of a shell to smash through a car window.
Emily Kathleen Warren was sentenced to 15 months’ prison after she pleaded guilty to eight charges including enter a premise and commit an indictable offence by break and two counts of stealing.
Maroochydore Magistrates Court heard Warren was suffering from a drug-induced psychosis when she broke into Gympie’s Meals on Wheels at midnight on December 7, 2021 and Maroochydore’s Avalon building on October 19, 2021.
Defence lawyer Liesel Rogan said ice had a grip on Warren since she was a teenager.
Ms Benson ordered Warren to complete one third of the 15-month sentence and issued a parole release date in May 2022.
Convictions were recorded.
Dane Warren Richards sentenced for serial drug offending
A Mooloolaba man involved in a forbidden love match avoided time behind bars for his serial meth offending, a court has heard.
Dane Warren Richards was sentenced to 18 months’ prison in Maroochydore Magistrates Court after he pleaded guilty to 26 charges including eight counts of possessing dangerous drugs.
The court heard Richards was found with a total of 5.9g of meth on several occasions between July 28, 2021 and February 9, 2022.
After considering the offending and Richards’ circumstances Mr Stjernqvist imposed an 18-month prison sentence and released him on parole immediately.
Convictions were recorded.
Eli Rustin Pilton, Dylan Mark Cheers plead guilty to break and enters
A pair of Sunshine Coast burglars who broke into homes, stole cars and robbed stores before setting their getaway vehicles on fire have had their exploits labelled as “not Ocean’s 11”.
Eli Rustin Pilton of Moy Pocket and Dylan Mark Cheers of Currimundi, both 24 and fuelled by meth, conducted a series of break and enters in March and April, 2020.
Crown prosecutor Greg Cummings said Pilton and Cheers would steal from cars and homes and use some of the vehicles they stole to rob shops and pharmacies for cigarettes, jewellery and other items.
Cheers and Pilton pleaded guilty to 19 and 21 charges respectively including several counts of unlawful use of motor vehicles, breaking and entering, arson, and stealing.
Pilton was sentenced to two years’ jail and was given immediate parole, while Cheers was sentenced to three years’ jail and was released on immediate parole, with 700 days in pre sentence custody recorded as time served for Cheers.
Convictions were recorded.
Drug trafficking mum faces Brisbane Supreme Court
A couple’s lucrative drug trafficking ring came to an end when a police raid uncovered $17,000 cash and more than 90g of pure methylamphetamine in their bedroom.
Sunshine Coast mum Carly Therese Anderson, 38, was sentenced to a head sentence of three years’ jail with an immediate parole release in the Brisbane Supreme Court for her role in the major trafficking operation.
The court heard that Anderson’s offending was revealed through a police sting targeting her then partner’s trafficking operation.
Anderson’s partner was running a meth trafficking ring with six agents, at least 15 customers and he had made at least 82 supplies ranging in quantities from 0.2g to 10 ounces.
Anderson was charged with trafficking after she “assisted” her partner for about six weeks between July and August 2020.
The court heard the Coast mum had suffered significant addiction and began assisting her partner in his “business” after she moved in with him.
The mum pleaded guilty 19 charges including one count of trafficking in dangerous drugs, two counts of supplying dangerous drugs, two counts of supplying schedule 1 dangerous drugs and one count of possessing dangerous drugs schedule 1 drug quantity of or exceeding schedule 3 but less than schedule 4.
The court heard Anderson’s partner was dealt with in the Supreme Court in August last year and given a head sentence of four years.
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