Australian police officers, tradies, teachers and real estate agents convicted for drug crimes

Blue and white collar workers, including cops, tradies, teachers, and real estate agents have all committed crimes because of their involvement with drugs. See a list of some of them.

Natalie O'Brien

@Nataliejourno

2 min read

April 23, 2023 - 12:00AM

News Corp Australia Network

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Blue and white collar workers, including police officers, tradies, farm hands, teachers, and real estate agents, have all been busted committing crimes because of their involvement with drugs.

People from all walks of life are finding themselves in various amounts of trouble with the law over their use and – in some cases – addiction to drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis.

Some are now convicted drug users and others are yet to be caught out.

Last year the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission reported Australians are the highest per capita users of meth, cocaine and MDMA (ecstasy) in the world.

Among those respected members of the community who have been convicted is a Sydney high-school science teacher who was supplying students with drugs.

Lauren Russell. Picture: John Grainger

LAUREN RUSSELL

Lauren Russell, 43, was caught on camera smoking from a homemade device with her students last year. The teacher had texted a 15-year-old boy, asking if he wanted to meet up and smoke cannabis and picked up another student near the school.

ZACHARY MAIDMENT

A former Gold Coast Rapid Action and Patrols group police officer Zachary Maidment last year pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying and was given a three-month suspended prison sentence.

Maidment was still a police officer when he was caught on surveillance providing cocaine and snorting lines off his then-fiance’s chest in a room at Star Casino’s Darling Hotel in June 2020.

Zachary Samuel Maidment (left) leaves Southport Courthouse.

During sentencing, Maidment’s barrister claimed the cop had turned to drugs to help deal with the stress of the job.

KRISTIANA KARAKOSTAS

A Melbourne real estate agent who used coded ads on Craigslist to deal drugs was addicted to cocaine when she committed the crimes.

Kristiana Karakostas, 27, admitted drug trafficking and dealing with proceeds of crime.

Police found more than six grams of cocaine in her make-up bag, drug paraphernalia and more than $3000 in cash.

Kristiana Karakostas.

Karakostas was given a three-year community corrections order and must do 150 hours of community service.

BLAKE HOMANN

Sydney real estate agent Blake Homann was caught red handed with 2.67g of cocaine and $1300 cash while out in the city.

The 26-year-old was convicted of supplying a small quantity of a prohibited drug, possessing a prohibited drug and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Homann was sentenced to two 11-month community corrections orders on the condition he continue rehabilitation and psychological treatment and not use illicit drugs.

WARREN GINSBERG

Socialite and top Sydney real estate agent Warren Ginsberg was also convicted of drug possession offences.

Warren Ginsberg. Picture: John Appleyard

The 33-year-old, who once dated actor Jodi Gordon, was convicted and fined after pleading guilty to cocaine possession.

ZACHARY STEVEN LINDSAY JAMES

A Queensland plumber Zachary Stephen Lindsay James was caught by police with half a gram of meth while on probation for drug offences.

James pleaded guilty to nine drug offences committed while he was on probation for drug offending in 2020.

DAVID LAWRENCE EATHER

A Bundaberg farm contractor David Lawrence Eather was busted driving on P-plates while under the influence of meth. The court heard that Eather had been before the courts previously for a similar offence.