Stephen Edward Muller pleaded guilty to drug trafficking

Until he was 37, this Qld man had a clean record. But amid the pandemic, a “conventional” life quickly turned to one of crime.

Stephen Edward Muller pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking dangerous drugs and one count of supplying a dangerous drug when he faced Maryborough Supreme Court on Wednesday.

A convicted drug trafficker led a “conventional” life for his first 37 years before a series of stressful events sent his life spiralling out of control.

Stephen Edward Muller, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking dangerous drugs and one count of supplying a dangerous drug when he faced Maryborough Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Crown prosecutor Stephen Muir said Muller had a relevant and “aggravating” criminal history.

Muller’s offending was described as fitting into the category of “low level methamphetamine trafficking”.

Judge Peter Davis said Muller’s history showed there had since been a series of drug offences since he turned 37.

Mr Muir said that was a “rational interpretation” of the criminal history.

He said the trafficking had been a “street level” business operating for a period of seven months.

Mr Muir said there had been no co-operation with the police when the offending was uncovered. but there had been an early plea of guilty.

The court heard Muller had led a law-abiding life for 37 years.

“What happened when he was 37?” Justice Davis said.

The court heard Muller had experienced the breakdown of his marriage of 16 years, then Covid hit and he lost his employment.

He had then become involved with a woman who was a drug dependent person who introduced him to methamphetamine.

Stephen Edward Muller pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking dangerous drugs and one count of supplying a dangerous drug when he faced Maryborough Supreme Court on Wednesday.

The spiral downhill had started from there, the court heard.

Justice Davis said Muller had been convicted by his own plea of trafficking in meth and cannabis

He said the supply charge was “one way or another” bound up with his drug offending lifestyle, which caused him to traffic dangerous drugs.

Justice Davis said the street level offending had been committed while Muller was on a probation order.

Before his drug offending started at 37, Muller had been a project manager, studying and working towards a trade.

He said Muller had taken steps towards rehabilitation.

Justice Davis described Muller’s drug dealing as “classic street level trafficking” which had no commercial purpose other than him funding his own habit.

“I can assess it on that basis,” he said.

He said he hoped Muller could return to a more conventional life because he had potential.

Muller was given a sentence of three years in prison with a parole eligibility date of November 19, 2025.

The time he had spent in presentence custody was taken into account as time served.

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Originally published as Stephen Edward Muller pleaded guilty to drug trafficking