Robert Rich sentenced for running Ironside ‘firing range’ on his regional SA property

A young farmer and FIFO worker who let his property be used as a criminal syndicate’s firing range to test semi-automatic weapons has been sentenced.

A young farmer and FIFO worker who let members of a criminal syndicate use his rural property as a firing range for semi-automatic pistols, rifles and shotguns has been released from prison.

Robert Rich, 35, was charged with multiple firearm offences and trafficking a small quantity of methamphetamine at his regional SA property.

After Rich had been arrested and was in custody, the farm house burnt down in unexplained circumstances.

The case against Rich was based on security camera footage from the property, which showed associates coming and going from the farm with an array of guns.

Around 11.45pm on April 22, 2021, a man at the property removed several items from the back of a car at the property and was seen pulling a self-loading rifle with two detachable magazine.

FIFO worker Robert Rich has pleaded guilty to multiple firearms offences for allowing his rural property to be used as an arsenal by a criminal syndicate. Picture: Facebook

Rich was filmed handling the rifle and two shotguns, including a self-loading model with a sawn-off barrel.

Both the rifle and one of the shotguns were hidden inside PVC piping, which had been removed from the back of the car.

Another charge arose from footage of Rich emerging from his house at 2.10am on April 22, 2021, holding a shotgun and pointing it at a car which had arrived at the property.

Rich also pleaded guilty to possessing a .22 pistol equipped with a silencer and a Browning model self-loading shotgun.

When police raided Rich’s house on May 19, 2021, they found a loaded double-barrel shotgun hidden inside a pair of overalls.

Nearby the gun was 2.6g of methamphetamine that Rich said was the remainder of an “eight-ball” of the drug he had shared with friends on his birthday.

Rich’s arrest stemmed from Operation Ironside where police monitoring the encrypted AN0M app identified videos of guns being fired at the property.

During sentencing last week, District Court Judge Liesl Kudelka said the offending occurred against the background of Rich’s friendship with two men.

“You knowingly permitted them to bring firearms to your property and discharge them there,” she said.

“You took no action to prevent or dissuade them from engaging in that behaviour themselves or with others when you were not there.”

Security camera footage showed guns including a self-loading pistol being fired on the property, thought it was unclear whether Rich was home at the time.

Yasmin McMahon, for Rich, argued during sentencing submissions her client was a hard worker who had fallen apart in the aftermath of a relationship breakdown.

He turned to drinking and using drugs – spending upwards of $1300 a week on methamphetamine and cocaine.

Rich has been in custody since his arrest on May 19, 2021.

Judge Kudelka said the two years Rich had spent behind bars had been an opportunity for him to re-evaluate his life and re-engage with his family.

She sentenced Rich to four years, ten months and 13 days in custody with a non-parole period of two years, six months and 27 days.

She ordered Rich serve the remainder of the sentence on home detention in the community.

Originally published as Robert Rich sentenced for running Ironside ‘firing range’ on his regional SA property