Mark Guarino: Esoteric festival Donald sting allegedy uncovers LSD, MDMA, ketamine stash

A Brunswick magician had no tricks up his sleeve when he was allegedly caught with a backpack full of LSD at a psychedelic music festival.

Mark Guarino has been charged with drug offences after a police sting at the Esoteric music festival. Picture: Facebook

A Brunswick magician was caught with a backpack full of drugs following a sting at a psychedelic music festival in the state’s northwest, police allege.

Mark Guarino fronted the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday charged with drug offences after he was allegedly busted with the stash at the Esoteric festival in Donald on March 9 last year.

The court heard police spotted Guarino accepting cash from a woman about 5pm while in the storage section next to the outdoor dancefloor.

A search of Guarino’s backpack allegedly uncovered a total of 20 deal bags containing ketamine or MDMA and more than 30 LSD strips.

MDMA capsules, diazepam tablets, cannabis and $365 cash was also allegedly discovered in the bag.

Police allege Guarino, who works as a magician, fire dancer and photographer, also left a former housemate with a broken thumb and five ribs in a wild assault over a property dispute on September 21 last year.

Guarino allegedly stormed the South Yarra man’s house about 3pm and began verbally abusing him before breaking furniture and tackling the man to the floor, the court heard.

“I’ll rip your f****** thumb off,” frightened neighbours allegedly heard Guarino scream.

Police arrested Guarino at his Brunswick home about two hours later and located his victim’s mobile phone on the kitchen bench.

“I was given advice that I needed to stand up for myself and take something precious from him so I would get my belongings back,” Guarino told officers.

Guarino runs a photography business. Picture: Facebook

He also works as a magician and entertainer. Picture: Facebook

The court heard Guarino moved to Brisbane to work temporarily but decided to stay due to Melbourne’s COVID-19 lockdown.

Magistrate Rose Falla said Guarino’s alleged actions toward his former housemate were “incredibly concerning” and that he was “foolish” for taking drugs to the festival.

“(These events) have a reputation for being a place where drugs are present and knowing that, it’s quite foolish that the finds himself in the position where he’s in possession of the drugs,” she said.

Guarino, who is on bail, will be assessed for a corrections order before he returns on June 23.