Kyle Thompson: Wellington drug boss paid corrupt jail guard

Full details of the “significant wealth” an unemployed regional NSW drug boss amassed moving large amounts of ice and cocaine between Sydney and the bush can now be revealed.

A regional NSW drug syndicate boss paid a corrupt Corrective Services worker to smuggle buprenorphine strips into a jail and sent a man to a McDonald’s restaurant to pick up a delivery worth $179,000.

The revelations were among a raft of details divulged for the first time in court documents which were tendered after Wellington man Kyle Anthony Thompson pleaded guilty to a string of charges.

Thompson has been remanded in custody since his arrest in May 2020 and he appeared briefly in Dubbo Local Court on Thursday to enter pleas of guilty to charges including knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group, knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime, supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, possessing more than three prohibited firearms and corruptly giving or offering an agent a benefit.

Kyle Anthony Thompson was the boss of a Wellington drug syndicate. Picture: Facebook

The 35-year-old was the focus of an exhaustive Strike Force Pinnacle police investigation established to dismantle the syndicate.

According to a statement of agreed facts, between June 2019 and May 2020, Thompson received a staggering 7.08 kilograms of methylamphetamine, 267 grams of cocaine and 903g of heroin from a Sydney man who was his upline supplier. He also knowingly took part in the supply of 73.7 grams of MDMA.

After establishing a relationship with the Sydney man in June 2019, Thompson and the man worked to ensure bulk amounts of drugs were delivered to Wellington. The drugs were then packaged up and sold to lower level dealers and users.

During their regular discussions Thompson and the man negotiated prices, discussed complaints about the quality of drugs supplied, arranged payments and made and accepted orders.

Thompson would also store and hide drugs, along with cash, jewellery, gold and cars.

“The offender amassed a significant amount of wealth due to his criminal activities,” the facts document stated.

Court documents state Kyle Thompson was involved in a plot to introduce buprenorphine strips to Wellington Correctional Centre.

Drugs from Sydney were delivered to Thompson’s home on Marsh Street in Wellington, as well as a shed at the rear of his parents home on Curtis Street, and the homes of other members of the syndicate.

Even while holidaying in Cairns in October 2019 with his partner Danielle Follett, court documents state Thompson continued to arrange drug deals with his sister Sharria’s partner, Kenneth Everson, who was used to collect a 500g meth delivery on Thompson’s behalf.

Follett pleaded guilty to drug supply, criminal group participation and assist in conducting drug premises charges in October. She is due to be sentenced in December.

Sharria Thompson pleaded guilty to drug supply, criminal group participation and organising a drug premises charges in August and she is due to be sentenced later this month.

Everson pleaded guilty to drug supply and criminal group participation charges in September. He was convicted and handed a 40-month prison sentence which will see him become eligible for parole in November.

As police edged closer to nabbing Thompson in March 2020, one of the drivers the Sydney man used to courier drugs to Wellington was stopped by police and arrested at Molong.

Despite the arrest, Thompson appeared undeterred and he continued to receive deliveries.

In May 2020, when the Sydney man struggled to find someone to drive to Wellington with more drugs, Thompson sent a man to the Lithgow McDonald’s restaurant with $179,950 which was used to collect a 1kg meth delivery.

Kyle Thompson sent a man to Lithgow McDonald's to pick up meth. Picture: Lithgow District Chamber of Commerce/Facebook

Later that month police started to wrap up their investigation, with a series of dawn raids carried out at properties in Dubbo and Wellington.

Inside Thompson and Follett’s home, police discovered $265,820 in cash hidden around the property.

About $85,000 worth of gold bullion, weighing 1.4 kilograms was also discovered.

A Harley Davidson motorcycle worth about $15,000 was found at Thompson’s parents home, and a Holden Commodore Thompson paid about $50,000 for was discovered at an automotive business in Dubbo.

Silencers, about 3000 rounds of ammunition and more than a dozen firearms, including rifles and a revolver belonging to Thompson, were found on a property near Yeoval.

During their investigation, police also discovered Thompson was involved in a plot to introduce buprenorphine strips to Wellington jail.

The facts document states Thompson paid a corrupt NSW Correctional Officer $1500 to take strips into their place of work at the jail.

His case returns to court in December when a sentencing date is due to be set.