Christopher Buckman sentenced for Dubbo drug dealing

A young weed dealer who used Snapchat to arrange his deals claimed he had cannabis to help him sleep, has been convicted of a raft of offences.

A teenager who pleaded guilty to a string of offences, ranging from drug dealing to unauthorised firearm possession and drink driving, has narrowly avoided a stint behind bars.

Cobar man Christopher Buckman was arrested on November 23, 2020, after police raided his former home on O’Donnell Street in Dubbo.

Cobar man Christopher Buckman was convicted of multiple offences in court. Picture: Facebook/Chris Buckman

In court documents, police said officers had received “numerous intelligence reports” about the 19-year-old using the social media application Snapchat to arrange drug deals.

During a search of Buckman’s home police uncovered 124 grams of cannabis leaf hidden in kitchen cupboards.

Scales, foil and cash were found on a coffee table and inside a rolled up swag, police discovered a sawn-off rifle, a magazine loaded with five rounds of ammunition and a box containing another 17 rounds.

According to court documents, Buckman told police he used the rifle while hunting and forgot it was in the swag.

Buckman also initially said it was “bullshit” to suggest he sold cannabis, instead he claimed he purchased large amounts of the drug because it helped him get to sleep at night.

After pleading guilty to supply prohibited drug and possess unauthorised firearm charges in Dubbo Local Court earlier this year, his case was transferred to be dealt with in his new hometown along with other sets of charges.

Snapchat “intelligence” supplied to police led them to arrest Christopher Buckman, Picture: Denis Charlet/AFP

Buckman’s case was finalised in Cobar Local Court on Tuesday.

Magistrate Brett Shields convicted Buckman and sentenced him to a three-year term of imprisonment to be served in the community in the form of an intensive corrections order.

For the duration of the order, Buckman was banned from using drugs and ordered to undergo random drug testing at the Bourke Community Corrections office.

He was also ordered to pay $3100 in fines and disqualified from driving for 12 months after receiving more convictions for offences which included drink driving, drug driving, using an unregistered and insured motor vehicle and behaving in an offensive manner in or near a public place.