Joseph Dean Geiger sentenced for fraud, receiving tainted property

An RACQ mechanic, who was accused of helping hide a Gold Coast teen’s killer before the charge was dropped, has emerged in a Maryborough court for drug and theft charges.

Joseph Dean Geiger’s bizarre story was laid bare in Maryborough Supreme Court on August 8, 2023, where he was being sentenced for one charge of supplying dangerous drugs, four counts of fraud and one count receiving tainted property.

Charged with accessory to murder, Joseph Dean Geiger spent nine weeks in custody during which he was targeted by other prisoners.

Geiger, 43, was charged with being an accessory to the murder of 16-year-old Brisbane schoolgirl Larissa Beilby, whose body was found in a barrel in the back of a ute on the Gold Coast in June 2018.

But in July 2021, the charges were dropped in the wake of the death of her accused murderer, Zlatko Sikorsky, who was bashed to death in prison by another inmate.

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Geiger’s bizarre story was laid bare in Maryborough Supreme Court on August 8, 2023, where he pleaded guilty to supplying dangerous drugs, receiving tainted property and four counts of fraud.

The court heard the offences were committed over the course of several months.

That included receiving a diagnostic tool worth $1600 in exchange for 0.2 grams of meth.

Geiger had later pawned the diagnostic tool at Bundaberg Cash Converters for $500.

Joseph Dean Geiger’s bizarre story was laid bare in Maryborough Supreme Court on August 8, where he was being sentenced for supplying dangerous drugs, four counts of fraud and one count receiving tainted property.

In addition to that, Geiger had committed four fuel driver-offs, the court was told.

The drug supply had only become known to police when he made admissions regarding receiving the diagnostic tool, it heard.

Geiger had 27 previous entries on his criminal history.

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His defence barrister said Geiger was now working as a roadside mechanic for RACQ.

While he was in custody he had been targeted by other prisoners, including being stabbed with a pen, he said.

The accessory to murder charge arose after Sikorsky was was taken to Geiger’s apartment at Alexandra Headland on the Sunshine Coast after being identified as the chief suspect in the teen’s murder.

But Geiger said he didn’t know the man introduced to him as “John” was wanted by police.

Sikorsky was accused of torturing and murdering the Ms Beilby, but died in November 2020 after being bashed in prison by another inmate.

In 2021 Magistrate Michael Quinn said there was insufficient evidence for a jury to convict Geiger of knowing Sikorsky may have committed murder and helping him escape punishment if the case proceeded to trial.

Geiger was sentenced to three months in prison, suspended for six months.

He was also ordered to complete 50 hours of community service.

Originally published as Joseph Dean Geiger sentenced for fraud, receiving tainted property