Kristoffer Gabrielle sentenced after dealing cocaine

A mechanic has been told to stay away from drugs after he was caught selling cocaine to feed his own addiction after he lost his job.

A magistrate had stern words for an Illawarra mechanic caught dealing cocaine after he was made redundant.

Kristoffer Gabrielle, 26, pleaded guilty to dealing with proceeds of crime and supplying a prohibited drug on Tuesday, with Magistrate Michael O’Brien sentencing him to a 12-month community corrections order.

“I note your limited criminal history and you need to keep it that way,” Magistrate O’Brien said.

“But you must remember illicit drugs will do nothing to improve your quality of your life.”

Gabrielle was arrested on December 5, after police responded to reports of a suspect vehicle that had been parked on Murray Road in Corrimal for an extended period of time.

Police approached the car, and noticed Gabrielle asleep in the driver’s seat.

Kristoffer Gabrielle leaves Wollongong Court on July 6.

Noting a “large amount” of cash protruding from his wallet and a resealable bag containing a white powder in the driver’s side door, police asked whether Gabrielle had any more drugs in his possession.

According to court documents, Gabrielle explained additional drugs were secreted in the vehicle, advising it was cocaine.

Police searched the car and found four small bags of coke, digital scales, and one large clear bag of white powder, as well as $3350 in cash.

Gabrielle was arrested and taken to Wollongong Police Station, where he admitted to supplying cocaine to several people, saying he’d sold two bags that day weighing 0.7 grams for a total of $500.

In court, his defence lawyer told Magistrate O’Brien Gabrielle had a history of drug abuse and was made redundant, which led him to offending.

“He was trying to feed that addiction,” his lawyer told the court.

The court also heard Gabirelle had been abstinent from drugs for seven months and secured a new job at Sydney Airport.

In sentencing, Magistrate O’Brien said Gabrielle was a “low-risk” of reoffending.

As part of the community corrections order, Gabrielle was also placed under supervision by Community Corrections.