Man’s dabble in drug-trafficking ‘short and unsophisticated’

A “street-level dealer”, the court heard he had about 30 customers

Geoffrey Peter Kean, 26, pleaded guilty to trafficking a dangerous drug, possessing an item used in the commission of a crime and ten counts of supplying a dangerous drug.

FACEBOOK messages were the undoing of a Bowen man who will spend at least six months in jail for trafficking marijuana and supplying dangerous drugs.

Appearing in Bowen District Court on Monday, Geoffrey Peter Kean, 26, pleaded guilty to trafficking a dangerous drug, possessing an item used in the commission of a crime and ten counts of supplying a dangerous drug.

The court heard Kean's dabble in drug trafficking was short and 'unsophisticated', taking place over the three month period of January 31, 2019, until May 3, 2019.

Police issued a search warrant on a property Kean was residing on May 3, and uncovered a number of facebook messages on a mobile phone belonging to Kean.

A "street-level dealer", the court heard Kean had about 30 customers, with at least 27 supplies and 24 attempts to supply.

Kean would purchase large quantities of marijuana to maximise profit, before advertising when he had marijuana, and the quality of the drugs.

Drugs were sold in quantities as low as one gram and as high as an ounce, and often sold on credit or for exchange of methamphetamine.

Kean also faced ten counts of supplying dangerous drugs, the most significant being a gram of methamphetamine.

Defence lawyer Frank Richards said Kean moved to Bowen for work, employed in seasonal roles in the agricultural industry.

He said Kean had a problem with drugs, mostly marijuana, and was not a habitual user of other substances.

"His period of trafficking was short, generated little profit and fortunately for him few sales," Mr Richards said.

"He is currently unemployed, as it has been particularly difficult to motivate himself to find a job with the high probability he would have his life influenced by prison - so he understands the prospect he faces.

"His mother has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and he assists with her care. His grandfather had terminal cancer and his grandmother is on dialysis, so any extended sentence will be harder on him given the frailty of his family."

Judge Gregory Lynham said small communities, such as bowen, were suffering from the "ravages of dangerous drugs" and believed Kean should have known the consequence of the drugs he was supplying.

"Once someone is gripped, they have difficulty ridding themselves of the scourge of drugs," Judge Lynham said.

"You were a regular user of cannabis and dabbled in meth, so I would have thought you understood the serious consequences and effects on someone's life - so the fact you wanted to be involved in the sale of illicit substances is concerning."

In sentencing, Judge Lynham considered it was "street-level" trafficking over a small amount of time, and the drug was marijuana.

Kean received a total of 12 jail sentences ranging from three months to two and a half years, all to be served concurrently

Kean's parole was set for August 24, 2020, with conviction recorded.

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