Tracey Gould: Dubbo woman pleads guilty to crime proceeds charge

After two years of denying wrongdoing, the wife of a panel beater jailed for dealing weed has finally admitted her role in the operation.

The wife of a jailed Dubbo panel beater who sold wads of weed from his workshop has pleaded guilty to recklessly dealing with more than $20,000 he made from drug dealing.

Tracey Elizabeth Gould, 40, was charged along with her husband Adam Carnevale in March 2019 after police raided their business and home.

Tracey Gould after she was arrested by Strike Force Bato detectives in March 2019. Picture: NSW Police

The couple came to the attention of police during a nine-month undercover investigation into a group of drug dealers which has seen multiple other men — including Caine Rootes and Jeffrey Mears — convicted and jailed.

Cassilis man Michael Paul Anderson is due to be sentenced later this month after he pleaded guilty to supplying 37 kilograms of cannabis and 17 grams of cocaine.

Dubbo dope dealer Adam Carnevale remains behind bars. Picture: Facebook/Tracey Carnevale

Carnevale was jailed for supplying 56.5kg of cannabis and he becomes eligible for parole next month, Rootes pleaded guilty to supplying 75.9kg of weed and he will be eligible for parole in October, while Mears pleaded guilty to supplying 32.5kg and was released on parole in December last year.

Ms Gould has maintained her innocence and was due to stand trial later this month, however after police dropped charges, she agreed to plead guilty to the less serious charge of recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime.

Tracey Gould was due to stand trial but struck a plea deal with prosecutors. Picture: Facebook/Tracey Carnevale

According to a statement of agreed facts tendered in court, Gould was caught handling Carnevale’s drug money seven times between September and December 2018.

Police phone taps uncovered Gould’s involvement and revealed she spent some of the money on groceries, mortgage repayments, beer and rent for the workshop the couple rented and ran ProFab Smash Repairs out of.

On one occasion, Carnevale was overheard talking with Gould about how much he sold ounces of cannabis to people for and how he had taken steps to ensure his DNA was not left on bags the cannabis was sold in.

According to the statement of agreed facts, Carnevale used the word ‘beer’ as a code for cannabis and he was heard asking Gould to bring him beer, which she did.

Gould would also deliver sandwich bags to Carnevale so he could package the drugs.

In January 2019, Carnevale mistakenly sent a message to a customer that was intended to go to Gould.

“Can you bring a couple of beers please … and the Makita bag in the garage,” Carnevale wrote to the customer who was to be called as a Crown witness in Gould’s now aborted trial.

The case returns to court in June.