Trial date set for Karl Schweikert over high-powered firearms and drug supply allegations

A trial date has been set for a mulleted Mid-North Coast construction worker accused of hoarding and selling an arsenal of illegal guns including an extremely destructive AR-15 semiautomatic, pistols and a pump-action shotgun.

Karl Francis Schweikert leaves Coffs Harbour court on June 10. Picture: NewsLocal.

A trial date has been set for a mulleted Mid-North Coast construction worker accused of hoarding and selling an arsenal of illegal guns including an extremely destructive AR-15 semiautomatic, pistols and a pump-action shotgun.

Karl Francis Schweikert, 27, pleaded not guilty to a range of offences said to have occurred at Upper Corindi between May and June 2024.

The charges specify the types of weapons he is alleged to have supplied, ranging from easily concealable pistols to more powerful and destructive firearms like a pump action shotgun and an AR-15 rifle.

Police allege they also seized drugs including cannabis, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine during a raid on a property.

Police allege they seized a cache of firearms and drugs at an Upper Corindi property on July 11 last year.

Schweikert – who works in the civil construction sector – stood before Judge Michael McHugh as each charge was read, and replied “not guilty,” or “not guilty sir” at his arraignment in Coffs Harbour District Court on Monday.

He was supported in court by his mother as he repeatedly denied the charges, including supplying cocaine, cannabis and methamphetamine.

A trial date has been set for August 3 and is expected to last five days.

Schweikert pleaded not guilty to three counts of possessing a prohibited drug, cultivating a prohibited plant, six counts of supplying a prohibited drug, not keeping a firearm safely (not pistol or prohibited firearm), possessing ammunition without holding a licence/permit, dealing with property suspected to be from the proceeds of crime, possessing an unauthorised prohibited firearm and unlawfully selling firearms three times or more within a 12-month period.

He also pleaded not guilty to four counts of supplying firearms to a person unauthorised to possess them, two counts of supplying a prohibited firearm to an unauthorised person, two counts of supplying a pistol to a person unauthorised to possess it and the large commercial quantity supply of a prohibited drug.

He remains on bail with conditions unchanged.

12 charges against Karl Schweikert have been withdrawn since his court attendance on June 10.

They include a ban on using the internet or social media including encrypted messaging apps such as Discord and Telegram.

He is also limited to having just one phone and one SIM with the password provided to police.

Schweikert also had to surrender his passport and is prohibited from going within 500m of any point of international departure point.

Originally published as Trial date set for Karl Schweikert over high-powered firearms and drug supply allegations