Jacob Vivian, Christopher Peace, Kale-Anthony Zerafa’s ice trafficking revealed

Three men, two from the Sunshine Coast and one from the Isaac region have been sentenced for their roles in a massive ice-trafficking ring, with two of them jailed.

Three Sunshine Coast men have been sentenced for their roles in a massive ice-trafficking ring, with two of them jailed.

Tanawha man Kale-Anthony Zerafa, 31, and Didillibah man Jacob John Vivian, 28, who has since moved to Middlemount in the Isaac region of central Queensland, near his birthplace in the Rockhampton area, were both sentenced in Brisbane Supreme Court on Friday.

Both men pleaded guilty to trafficking in methamphetamine and possessing mobile phones used to conduct the business of trafficking, with Zerafa pleading guilty to the additional charge of possessing a small amount of methamphetamine.

The court heard both men acted as agents of Buderim meth wholesaler Christopher William Peace, 33, who was sentenced on August 11.

Peace pleaded guilty to 21 offences, including trafficking in methamphetamine, possessing counterfeit money and a variety of drugs and weapons charges.

The court heard on Friday both Zerafa and Vivian were long-term ice addicts for whom Peace was one of their wholesale suppliers.

In this case of Vivian, who trafficked in ice between November 12, 2018 and October 28, 2020, Peace was his “main supplier” to whom Vivian at times owed “large debts” to.

Vivian would purchase drugs in quantities of up to a half-ounce and on-sell them at street-level mostly but sometimes wholesale in quantities up to a quarter-ounce.

Didillibah man Jacob John Vivian, 28, who has since moved to Middlemount in the Isaac region of central Queensland. Picture: Facebook

The court heard Vivian’s trafficking was “substantial”, with transfers into his bank accounts totalling $141,376 in the period from January – October 2020, a figure which does not include cash payments to Vivian.

It was submitted on Vivian’s behalf he “gave up on his future” following the death of his brother in 2019, a tragedy which exacerbated his pre-existing addiction.

Following his release on bail after he was charged with the current offences, Vivian moved to Middlemount to live with his dad and stepmum and return to his former workplace at Middlemount South’s Foxleigh Coal Mine, where he is a heavy machinery operator.

He had also signed up to the local rugby league football club, where he also volunteered, the consummate club man.

Zerafa, meanwhile, only trafficked for a shorter period of time, between June 11 – August 19, 2019.

However, Zerafa acted more as a right-hand man to Peace, helping him to source large amounts of supply, advising him on how to chase drug debts, and discussing acquiring new suppliers.

Zerafa’s trafficking was, like Vivian’s, mostly street-level with occasional forays into wholesaling amounts of up to a quarter-ounce.

Tanawha man Kale-Anthony Zerafa, 31. Picture: Alex Treacy

The court heard Parramatta-born Zerafa had a lengthy history of low-level drug offending after getting hooked on ice in his mid-twenties.

He is currently unemployed and, up until about two-and-a-half weeks ago, was living in a caravan on council land with his partner and their two children.

After receiving a move-on order from council, the family-of-four had secured more stable accommodation.

Zerafa had an offer of concreting work via his effective father-in-law, the court heard.

Zerafa was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for a period of four years, and three years’ probation.

Vivian was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, suspended for a period of five years after Vivian had served eight months behind bars.

In August, Peace was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment with parole-eligibility set at November 10 next year.