15 prison drug smugglers in 2022 caught red handed: See the list
A drone, a bra and a code-encrypted dialogue — these were the bold strategies used to smuggle drugs in to Queensland prisons last year. See the full list and how they did it.
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Hiding drugs in a bra, using a drone to drop packages over the fence and a bilingual scheme between a father and daughter were just some of the bold strategies used to smuggle in drugs in to Queensland prisons in 2022.
In April last year Queensland Police seized quantities of steroids, cannabis and suboxone strips with a street value totalling over $337,00 as part of an investigation into prison drug smuggling at Lotus Glen Correctional Centre.
Twelve people were charged, including six prisoners as Police said they will continue to crack down on illicit activity in correctional centres.
“Contraband in our prisons puts the lives of prison officers, prisoners and visitors at serious risk and Queensland Corrective Services has a zero-tolerance approach,” Chief Superintendent Gabby Payne said.
Here we look at 15 occasions last year where Queenslanders attempted to smuggle drugs into prison but were caught red handed.
Convictions were recorded for all defendants.
Amira Naaman
In an attempt to smuggle in drugs for her prisoner husband, a 27-year-old Marsden woman was found by police with almost 500 buprenorphine (opioid) strips, worth a street value of $35,000.
Amira Naaman pleaded guilty in Beenleigh District Court on December 1, 2022 to five counts of supplying a dangerous drug, one count of possessing a dangerous drug and one count of possessing anything used in connection with supplying a dangerous drug.
The court heard that on March 24, 2021, Queensland Police arrested Naaman at her home in Marsden and discovered 468 buprenorphine strips and a mobile phone containing five conversations indicating drug dealing.
She was sentenced to 15 months in prison, wholly suspended and a conviction was recorded.
Jordan Matthew Ashwell
A Loganlea man smuggled heroin into the Beenleigh Police Station watch-house and then took the drug with three other men, a court has heard.
Jordan Matthew Ashwell, a turf layer and father of three, aged 22, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh District Court on August 25, 2022 to one count of supplying dangerous drugs.
The court heard the defendant smuggled a clip seal bag of heroin into the watch-house and another man prepared the drug with a syringe he had also smuggled in illegally.
Ashwell was sentenced to nine months imprisonment and was released on immediate parole.
An Ipswich dad enlisted his 18-year-old daughter to smuggle drugs into his jail so he could repay drug debts to fellow inmates.
Wayne Patu, 44, pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court in May, 2022, to one count of supplying dangerous drugs within a correctional facility.
The court heard at the time Patu had conversed with his daughter Aigataulagi over the phone 22 times in a strategic mix of English and Samoan while he was an inmate at Borallon Training and Correctional Centre in 2020.
Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren SC said it was a “despicable act by a father” and sentenced Patu to 12 months behind bars with immediate parole eligibility.
A drone carrying drugs
Prison authorities have stopped a drone carrying drugs – which officers say was worth hundreds of thousands – from getting into one of the state’s biggest jails.
The drone was trying to drop off cocaine and Subutex strips, which is the drug buprenorphine used for opioid addiction, into Woodford jail, Moreton Bay. It was disabled and seized by prison authorities in July, 2022.
Prison officers said people were seen acting suspiciously outside the jail and fled in a Mercedes as staff came to confront people in the vehicle.
Officers have called for anti-drone netting to be put around certain sections of the jail to stop drugs or other items being dropped off.
Dale Patrick Whalley
Dale Patrick Whalley, 32, pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court in September, 2022 to supplying a dangerous drug, assault occasioning bodily harm while armed, two counts of wilful damage, two counts of choking (DV), assault occasioning bodily harm (DV) and stealing.
Whalley enlisted his new partner to collect two packages and deliver them to him while he was incarcerated at Brisbane Correctional Centre.
Police intercepted her and found she had been attempting to smuggle in 48 subutex strips, valued at $9600 to $14,400.
Whalley received a head sentence of five years jail, with his parole release date set for December 19, 2023.
Hannah Christine Lovejoy
A young mother who imported $75,000 worth of drugs and had $52,000 in crime proceeds, partly hidden in a washing machine, has been given a “merciful’’ jail sentence.
Justice Soraya Ryan recognised Hannah Christine Lovejoy was under the influence of a manipulative jailed partner who instructed her how to import and smuggle drugs into prison.
Lovejoy, 27, pleaded guilty in Brisbane Supreme Court to importing commercial quantities of border controlled drugs, recklessly dealing in proceeds of crime of $50,000 or more and drug trafficking.
She was sentenced to six years’ jail for drug importation, with parole eligibility after three years.
Nathan James Mitchell
A prisoner at Rockhampton Watchhouse was caught trying to supply dangerous and restricted drugs and other items to an inmate, with more than 200 Suboxone strips found on his person.
Nathan James Mitchell, 37, pleaded guilty in the Rockhampton Supreme Court on February 15 to four counts of possessing dangerous drugs and one count each of supplying dangerous drugs, possessing restricted drugs and taking prohibited things into a corrective service facility.
Officers burst into the cell and found Mitchell on the floor with two small packages at his feet, he was restrained and taken to a padded cell where he told police, “you got me, you got me, I have nothing else on me, you have it all”.
He was sentenced to 470 days in prison with 470 days declared as time served and immediately released on parole.
Delivery truck
Prison officers at a Brisbane jail have foiled an attempt to smuggle drugs inside, after they were found secreted under a truck making a delivery to the jail.
Intelligence officers at Wolston jail found Subutex strips, which is the drug Buprenorphine used for opioid addiction, as the truck was making a delivery to prison industries, an area where prisoners can work for small amounts of pay.
Prison authorities estimate the drugs seized on December 22 last year were worth $37,000. A Subutex strip cut into four pieces can sell for hundreds.
Marsha Joy Clewley
A former age care worker who secretly smuggled drugs in her bra while visiting someone in jail was motivated by “shame and guilt”, a court has heard.
Marsha Joy Clewley, 46, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on June 3, 2022 to supplying a dangerous drug in a correctional facility.
The court heard she was busted trying to sneak in 14 suboxone strips containing Buprenorphine hidden inside her bra at a correctional facility in Wacol on May 5, 2021.
Judge Julie Dick SC sentenced her to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for a period of two years.
Hayley Anne Holt
A not so non-contact visit to a regional prison has left one former drug trafficker and drug producer in hot water for smuggling an illicit substance to her jailhouse lover.
Hayley Anne Holt, 43, was sentenced in Rockhampton District Court on November 25, 2022 after pleading guilty on November 18 to one count of aggravated supply of dangerous drugs within a correctional facility.
Holt visited her partner Jason Neil Graham at Capricornia Correctional Centre on January 8, 2021.
The court heard Graham put his hands down the shirt of Holt and touched her chest area as if he had grabbed something, Graham was searched and found in possession of 97 strips of suboxone.
Holt was sentenced to 15 months prison with a parole release date of February 20, 2023.
Ryan Aaron Isemonger
A prison chef has been sentenced after he was intimidated into participating in an “insidious” plot to sneak drugs into an Ipswich prison.
Chef Ryan Aaron Isemonger, 42, faced the Ipswich District Court on November 18, 2022 where he pleaded guilty to supplying a dangerous drug in a correctional facility and possessing cash obtained from the supply.
The court heard police pounced on Isemonger as he attended work at an unnamed Ipswich prison on February 11 — the day he was expected to be smuggling drugs and syringes.
He voluntarily told officers he’d agreed to bring Buprenorphine, a prescription opioid, into the prison at the behest of an inmate he wouldn’t name but got “cold feet”.
Isemonger was sentenced to a year-long term of imprisonment, wholly suspended for a period of 12 months.
Amanda Crystal Baldrey
A mother of three attempted to smuggle dangerous drugs into Capricornia Correctional Centre for a friend, hiding the drugs in her bra in a rubber glove to make the handover easier, a court has heard.
Amanda Crystal Baldrey, 33, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court on August 22, 2022 to one count of supplying dangerous drugs to a person in a correctional facility.
The court heard Baldrey was friends with a prisoner at Capricornia Correctional Centre and made arrangements to smuggle in packages of Suboxone strips to the prison.
Baldrey was found with a small blue package that she had hidden inside her bra, which contained 50 Suboxone films and 22 grams of Buprenorphine.
She was sentenced to 12 months in prison, wholly suspended.
Dylan Mark Cheers
A 24-year-old Sunshine Coast concreter has faced court after he was busted with a stash of drugs while behind bars on remand.
Little Mountain man Dylan Mark Cheers pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on August 31, 2022 to failing to appear and possessing a dangerous drug.
On May 26, 2022 Cheers was in custody on remand at the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre in Wacol when CCTV footage captured him dropping a package outside a secure unit that contained 50 orange suboxone strips
Cheers was convicted of the drug offence but not further punished and was fined $400 for failing to appear in court.
Kain William Hugh Evans
Trying to bring restricted drugs into Maryborough Correctional Centre went awry for a prisoner when guards became suspicious of a hug with a visitor.
Kain William Hugh Evans, 27, pleaded guilty in Maryborough District Court in February last year to possession of a dangerous drug.
The court heard Evans was given a package of buprenorphine by his alleged co-offender when she visited him at the prison.
Evans was sentenced to 12 months in jail which must be served on top of his current sentence and he was allowed immediate parole eligibility.
Kyle Dean Williams
Kyle Dean Williams forced his elderly grandmother to help smuggle commercial amounts of ice and prescription opioids into jails, a court heard.
Williams pleaded guilty in Brisbane Supreme Court on October 7, 2022 pleaded guilty to five counts of supplying dangerous schedule one drugs within a prison and one count of supplying dangerous schedule two drugs within a prison.
Together with his grandmother, Gwyneth Lorraine Williams, they arranged for the smuggling of 99 buprenorphine strips, 230 stanozolol steroid tablets and three grams of ice.
He was sentenced to two years prison.
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