Townsville court: Security expert Steele Patrick Melvin busted selling guns on the dark web

A Townsville security guard thought he’d come up with an easy way to make quick cash by advertising his firearms for sale and then not sending the product. But he didn't expect what happened next to bring his grand scheme undone.

Steele Patrick Melvin pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying weapons and one count of possessing restricted drugs when he faced Townsville District Court.

A security expert who attempted to swindle money by selling guns on the dark web was shot down when his would-be buyers turned out to be undercover police.

Steele Patrick Melvin pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying weapons and one count of possessing restricted drugs when he faced Townsville District Court yesterday.

Melvin thought he’d come up with an easy way to make quick cash by advertising his firearms for sale and simply not sending the product.

The court heard Melvin, who owned and operated a small security business, was licensed to own the weapons.

Crown prosecutor Dane Marley said undercover police officers from Victoria made contact with Melvin on the dark web in June 2016 to negotiate a price for a Glock 6mm handgun.

“The defendant established a page on two dark web websites called AlphaBay and Dream Market … the platforms are similar to eBay but for the dark web,” Mr Marley said.

“The defendant offered to supply a Glock to the those police officers.

“There was a negotiation between him and the police officers to establish that he actually had those items in his possession. The defendant later went to the Australia Post store at Aitkenvale and posted two (ammunition) magazines to the police.”

The court heard several days later Melvin was contacted by more undercover officers, this time from the Australian Federal Police who paid him $2400 worth of Bitcoin for the weapon but he never sent it to them. Melvin even went back to the undercover police asking for a further $130 because the price of Bitcoin had dropped.

Police raided his Townsville home about a month later, finding the weapons and 17 capsules of dimethylamylamine, a restricted drug. Mr Marley said Melvin participated in a lengthy interview with police in which he said he never intended to actually deliver the guns and claimed the drugs were for his security dog to keep it “on scent”.

Defence barrister Scott Geeves said his client had lost his ability to own firearms and operate a security business since the charges were laid more than three years ago. He said Melvin had been involved in the security industry since he was 19-years-old, holding many positions including working in a security and youth work capacity for the Department of Justice from 2011 to 2014.

Judge Greg Lynham said the offending could be seen to be akin to fraud, but the fact Melvin was dealing on the dark web and actually posted the ammunition magazines was particularly concerning. The judge took into account Melvin’s co-operation with police and good behaviour while on a lengthy bail when considering the sentence.

Melvin was sentenced to two and a half years on probation. He must comply with requirements of corrective service officers and not commit any further offences in that time to avoid further punishment.

Originally published as Townsville court: Security expert Steele Patrick Melvin busted selling guns on the dark web