23 Mackay Whitsunday drug offenders exposed
From commercial-level trafficking to people caught holding drugs “just for a mate”, these 23 men and women learnt the hard way what happens when you’re caught with illicit substances. See the hotspots.
Police & Courts
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Police have charged people with more than 2200 drug offences in the past 12 months across Mackay Isaac Whitsundays.
Based on QPS data the bulk of that has occurred in Mackay with 1804 reported drug offences, while 474 drug offences were committed in the Whitsunday region.
Cluster areas include Romeo St, near the Milton and George Sts intersection and Norris St on the city fringe, Napier St in South Mackay, and near the intersection of Celeber Dr and Norman St in Andergrove.
Another cluster was discovered near Liquid Nightclub on Victoria St and police have also charged people with 51 drug offences at the Sydney St station. There were also 16 offences reported off Illawong Dr near Illawong Park.
In the Whitsundays the biggest cluster was 46 reported drug offences on Airlie Beach’s main party strip, while seven people were charged with drug offences while at the Whitsunday police station.
Here are 23 people who have fronted Mackay courts over the past 12 months for drug offending.
TRAFFICKING
Jodi Kym Edwards
A wannabe Moranbah meth queen bragged about her drug trafficking business to an undercover cop, telling him she had stacks of cash stashed at her home.
Jodi Kym Edwards, 36, was the primary suspect in multi-branch police operation Tango Gismo, targeting drug trafficking across Central Queensland and resulting in the arrest of 20 people on 117 charges.
She mainly sold meth and marijuana but could “easily source other drugs such as MDMA and on occasion (LSD)”, Mackay Supreme Court heard.
Edwards supplied drugs on at least 58 occasions during the trafficking period and had at least 29 customers, selling in amounts from 0.1g up to 0.5g, as well as half balls of meth (1.75g).
She regularly sold on tick, had to chase up drug debts and made threats to those who owed her money including that she would “f---ing slaughter them”, “that you would punch their head in” and they would “die a slow painful death”.
Between August 21 to 24, 2021 Edwards supplied an undercover officer with 1g of meth for $750, told him she could supply him drugs and boasted she had $20,000 cash from drug sales stashed, which was a lie.
New Zealand national Edwards pleaded guilty to charges including meth trafficking, aggravated drug possession and possessing cash from drug sales between July 14 and November 13, 2021 at Moranbah.
Justice Graeme Crow said he had been tendered nine clear drug screens and accepted “that you are drug free and have been for a considerable period of time”.
She was jailed for three years’ jail but allowed immediate parole and convictions were recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Chloe Victoria Smith
Beautiful, blonde, newly 30 and a sought-after lash technician, Chloe Victoria Smith spent eight months in jail and away from her three children.
It is the reality of her choices that came back to bite her when she was arrested in March 2020 as part of operation Romeo Suitcase, which had been targeting her then boyfriend and father of her youngest child Reece Luscombe.
Smith had played an active role in Luscombe’s meth trafficking; police phone taps and message intercepts captured her as an “enthusiastic assister” in the venture between 2019 and 2020 as she enjoyed the fruits of the profits made, which they expected to total up to $60,000.
She pleaded guilty in Mackay Supreme Court to a raft of charges including drug trafficking and supply and aggravated drug possession and was jailed for three years to serve eight months to be released on May 8, 2024.
She later pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court to a raft of charges including possessing drugs such as fentanyl, possessing cash suspected of being proceeds of a drug crime and refusing to give police access to her mobile phone.
She was jailed for 12 months with parole release also on May 8, 2024.
Anthony Eric Deguara
A judge said a busy cannabis dealer was “in thrall” of a friend jailed in Capricornia Correctional Centre and was conspiring with another dealer on a plot to free him.
Texts on Anthony Eric Deguara’s phone to another man revealed a scheme to con someone into signing a false statutory declaration confessing to crimes the other man was charged with, Mackay Supreme Court heard.
Justice David North heard the 46-year-old’s residence was searched and his phone seized by police on June 6,2021.
The court heard evidence on Deguara’s phone showed he had been trafficking cannabis and meth for three months prior to the search warrant.
Deguara pleaded guilty to trafficking, three counts of possessing dangerous drugs, attempting to pervert the course of justice, possessing a tainted debit card, obstruct police, and four other drug-related summary charges.
Defence barrister Scott McLennan said his client had demonstrated his remorse by living nearly three months in a residential rehabilitation program in Brisbane, even having been resident of the month for September 2023.
Justice North accepted Deguara had taken “quite some steps” towards rehabilitation.
Deguara was jailed for a total of three years, immediately suspended and 180 days in pre sentenced custody declared time already served.
FULL STORY HERE
Tristan Michael Bernay
A Cannonvale man who grew up with a meth-addled mother became a user himself, selling drugs to others to feed his own addiction.
Mackay Supreme Court heard Tristan Michael Bernay had 17 customers during his two months as a “low level street dealer” from February 18 to April 12, 2021.
Bernay had moved to the Airlie Beach region in 2019 for a “fresh start” but things “spiral(led)” under methamphetamine’s grip.
Defence barrister Scott McLennan said evidence showed Bernay had tried to “essentially extricate himself from the drug scene” in the weeks before police executed a search warrant on his home on May 16.
When police searched Bernay’s home, they found a mobile phone which revealed he had either supplied or prepared to supply methamphetamines “on at least 43 occasions” with quantities ranging from 0.1g to 3.5g.
Bernay, who pleaded guilty to trafficking and possessing an item used in connection with the trafficking of a dangerous drug, was jailed for 3.5 years suspended after serving six months for an operational period of four years.
FULL STORY HERE
SUPPLY
Keith Douglas Jacklin
A middle-aged truck driver who supplied an undercover cop with $67,000 worth of meth and offered to sell a further $55,000 worth has finally faced court.
Between October 8 and December 23, 2021, Keith Douglas Jacklin sold methylamphetamine on four occasions to an officer involved in the dual Mackay police operations Sierra Asteroid and Tango Radar.
One last attempted drug deal on January 11, 2022 was soon followed by sweeping raids across the region the next day, including at Jacklin’s Marian home where police found his phone, a used pipe, methane, plastic bags and a heat sealer.
When the 51 year old faced Mackay District Court, Judge Terry Gardiner described him as a “significant player in the supply of methylamphetamine” despite having no criminal history.
Jacklin pleaded guilty to five counts of meth supply, possession of a phone used for drug deals, and two summary charges of possessing things used in the commission of a drug offence and a used pipe.
He was jailed for five years with immediate parole release after serving 422 days in presentence custody.
FULL STORY HERE
Rachel Palmer
A meth-dealing mum of four has avoided spending any time behind bars after she supplied the highly addictive drug in multiple street-level deals.
Mackay woman Rachel Palmer “acted as an intermediary” when she provided methamphetamines five times over about two and a half weeks in October 2022.
Mackay District Court heard her offending came to light when police executed a search warrant and uncovered information on her phone.
The amounts included two points of meth on three occasions, three points and an unknown amount for between $140 and $210.
The court heard Palmer only received $40 payment for her role in two of the sales.
When she was arrested she was also busted possessing 0.176g of pure meth over eight separate bags and had spent no time in custody on remand.
Palmer pleaded guilty to seven charges including five counts of supplying dangerous drugs, and one count each of possessing dangerous drugs and possessing anything used in the commission of a crime.
Palmer was jailed for 12 months with immediate parole. Convictions were recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Damian James Tonga
A street level meth dealer pushed drugs to others to fund his own addiction claiming “life stressors” pushed his descent into ice abuse.
Damian James Tonga was “extremely ashamed” his father’s home was raided as part of a major drug bust involving 52 arrests, Mackay District Court heard.
His phone was found with messages setting up multiple deals after Operation Tango Muscatel exposed $625,000 worth of drugs in a raid of 16 Mackay properties.
Mackay police seized multiple weapons including handguns, rifles and shotguns, $425,000 worth of meth, cocaine, MDMA, steroids and marijuana and $200,000 in cash in August 2022.
Tonga pleaded guilty to 14 counts of drug supply and using his mobile phone in the commission of a drug offence.
He was jailed for 18 months jail with immediate suspension for an operational period of three years.
FULL STORY HERE
Kevin Graham Kent and Billie May Williams
A Mackay duo busted for dealing meth have each avoided a custodial penalty for “facilitating destruction” in other people’s lives.
Kevin Grahame Kent and Billie May Williams were arrested following a raid at an Andergrove home on September 9, 2022 when information on their respective phones revealed their drug dealing efforts.
Police found two instances of supply against Kent, then 31, including the sale of 3.5g, or about an eight ball, of meth for $1250 and then $150 worth of meth to the same person over five days.
Mackay District Court heard there were four counts of meth dealing against Williams, then 24, over two days, including three actual supplies and an offer to supply.
Kent pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying dangerous drugs, and Williams pleaded guilty to four counts of supplying meth, while both pleaded guilty to one count each of possessing anything used in the commission of a crime and possessing anything for use in the commission of a crime.
Both Kent and Williams were jailed for 15 months with immediate parole. Convictions were recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Wayne Keith George Haupt
A meth-addicted dad was asleep when his home was raided by police, revealing he had supplied others with the dangerous drug.
Wayne Keith George Haupt was found to have supplied four people with “street-level amounts” of meth in Mackay District Court, the largest amount being $300 for 0.5g.
Crown prosecutor Allegra Thomas said police found Haupt asleep in the main bedroom before he was arrested on October 26, 2022.
The court heard Haupt had spent 286 days in pre-sentence custody, and that the offences had been committed while he was on parole.
Haupt pleaded guilty to four counts of supplying dangerous drugs and possessing a dangerous drug.
Haupt said he could, and was sentenced to 15 months parole with immediate release after 286 days pre-sentence custody declared time served.
FULL STORY HERE
Jodeci-Leigh Flynn
A young woman bullied into attempting to supply her boyfriend with drugs in prison has been dealt hard blows, suffering a cancer diagnosis and redundancy.
Jodeci-Leigh Flynn, 26, fronted Rockhampton District Court supported by her father, brother and sister, along with two long-term friends, as she was sentenced for her “foolish decision” to commit her first ever criminal offence.
Crown prosecutor Ken Spinaze said prison officers became aware of conversations between Flynn and her then boyfriend who was jailed in Capricornia Correctional Centre and approached her as she arrived at the prison on September 9, 2022.
Flynn was found to be concealing 153 strips of suboxone in her bra.
Flynn pleaded guilty to one count each of supplying drugs in a prison, possessing restricted drugs, possessing property suspected to have been used in a crime and possessing an S4 medicine.
The former Mackay woman was jailed for 15 months, suspended after five days prison with her five days presentence custody declared as time served and a two-year operational period set. She was also fined $500 and convictions were recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Sakti Ramadhan Dalizar
Police officers have discovered more than a kilogram of marijuana as well as 369 tabs of LSD in envelopes and plastic bags during a raid of a Moranbah home.
Sakti Ramadhan Dalizar faced Mackay Supreme Court on Wednesday where it was heard the search of his address on December 18, 2022 further revealed a mobile phone that showed the then 26 year old planned to sell a “substantial proportion” of the LSD and 1.089kg of marijuana for commercial reward.
Lawyer Robert Beamish, instructed by McKays Solicitors, said Dalizar had since resumed taking medication for anxiety and depression, which he had since a teenager, and he had returned to working for a scrap metal company.
Mr Beamish said Dalizar’s employment involved work at the mines which required him to take regular drug tests that had returned negative results.
Dalizar, now 28, pleaded guilty to eight counts of supplying a dangerous drug, two counts of aggravated drug possession, and one count of possessing anything used in the commission of a crime.
He was jailed for three months jail with an immediate parole release, and convictions were recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
POSSESSION
Dieter Dean Stephens
A young Mackay man was busted with drugs, seven stolen firearms and $84,000 has to forfeit the cash as his crime spree is revealed.
When police picked up the 26 year old after a traffic incident on Shakespeare St about 11.30am on July 20, 2023 after Tactical Crime Squad officers had pulled up behind a white Holden Cruze.
Mackay Magistrates Court heard as a result convicted drug offender Dieter Dean Stephens was caught with seven firearms and 3.3g pure meth, which Magistrates Bronwyn Hartigan labelled the most serious of the raft of charges.
Stephens then prevented police from accessing his phone by refusing to give up his passcode, which Ms Hartigan said was the next most serious charge.
He pleaded guilty to 14 charges including possessing an aggravated quantity of meth and tainted cash, assault causing bodily harm, possessing stolen weapons including firearms, a chainsaw and diagnostic tools and refusing access to his phone.
He was jailed for 18 months with immediate parole release because of time already served on remand.
FULL STORY HERE
Carmen Leigh Shadbolt
A Mackay mum with a chequered past fell back into old ways and made the mistake of trying to hide her friend’s drugs when they were pulled over.
Carmen Leigh Shadbolt was a passenger in a car pulled over on April 7, 2023 when police found two clip seal bags of meth in her bra – with 1.63g and 3.46g of substance of about 74 per cent purity.
Her barrister Scott Moon said the drugs had not been hers, but she had made the “silly decision” to accept them when another occupant of the car handed them to her.
She pleaded guilty to possessing dangerous drugs and was jailed for 18 months with immediate parole. Convictions were recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Lauchlan Joseph McGregor
New details of a strange arrest were revealed after a young man found with nearly $100,000 worth of meth and cocaine faced Mackay Supreme Court.
Lauchlan Joseph McGregor pleaded guilty to possessing more than 200g of methylamphetamine and more than 2g of cocaine, as well as a handgun, knife, digital scale and $24,490 in cash.
Justice David North said police were called to Peri Road in Te Kowai the night of October 16, 2022 to find McGregor, then 24, intoxicated outside of a vehicle and asking for help to call his angry girlfriend.
“Police observed a package that ultimately contained methylamphetamine about eight to 10m away from the car,” Justice North said.
The court heard the package contained 208g of meth in 324g of substance and 15g of cocaine found within 28g of substance, both in clip seal packages indicating a “commercial purpose”.
McGregor was arrested and spent a total of 401 days in presentence custody before facing the supreme court.
He was jailed for 6.5 years with parole eligibility on October 15, 2024. The presentence custody was declared time already served.
FULL STORY HERE
Emma Claire Jowsey
A meth mum was caught after she and an unknown man fled from a stolen car, in which police found a bag containing 2.02 grams of the drug.
Emma Claire Jowsey, 39, tried to escape police on February 1 after officers on Holland St in West Mackay checked the car’s Victorian plates and found it reported stolen.
Mackay Supreme Court heard Jowsey’s son was 14-years-old, and that her offending had occurred just four months after her release from jail in September 2022.
The court heard a search of the car revealed a bag of meth in the passenger side door and packages addressed to different people in the back seat.
The court heard Jowsey was also found with an electric scale in her handbag, and told police she owned the car.
She pleaded guilty to one count of possessing dangerous drugs schedule 1 drug quantity of or exceeding schedule 3 but less than schedule 4.
Jowsey was jailed for 18 months with immediate release, and 232 days in pre sentence custody declared as time served.
FULL STORY HERE
Kelli-Ann Dair
A Mackay region mother of three was just 0.236g of pure meth away from a jail cell and getting the title of being a drug trafficker, the court was told.
Kelli-Ann Dair faced Mackay District Court where it was heard she supplied meth on five occasions, for a “total of 10 points”, with a police search at her address on March 23 finding 1.764g of pure meth in 2.335g of “white crystal substance”.
Officers also found a glass pipe, straws, empty clip seal bags, digital scales and a debit card not belonging to Dair.
She had only the month before in court been placed on a four month good behaviour bond for possessing meth and scales.
Dair pleaded guilty to possessing dangerous drugs, possessing tainted property, utensils or pipes that had been used, possessing anything used in the commission of a crime, and five counts of possessing dangerous drugs.
She was jailed for 12 months with immediate parole and recorded convictions for all offences.
FULL STORY HERE
Aaron Mark Carpenter
A Bowen Basin miner who already avoided spending more time in jail after he was busted with a mega haul of MDMA, cash and diamonds has “played the game” and lost when he was caught with more drugs.
As a result Aaron Mark Carpenter breached a five-year suspended term of imprisonment and was lashed by Supreme Court Justice Graeme Crow, who warned him next time he would go straight to jail.
Unfortunately for him, Carpenter previously appeared before Justice Crow in May 2022 on his original charges including aggravated drug possession for which he was jailed for five years suspended immediately because he had already served 101 days in presentence custody.
“I gave you a good chance,” Justice Crow told him when he reappeared after breaching his suspended jail sentence when he was busted trying to conceal a stash of marijuana in his mouth.
Police saw him acting suspiciously in Spring Hill – when officers asked him what he was concealing he tried to swallow the item.
Since then he had gotten a legal prescription and has never failed a drug test while at work. Justice Crow found his latest offending was extremely low level.
The five year jail term was partially activated and Carpenter was released on immediate parole.
FULL STORY HERE
Hayden James Waterton
A man’s rendezvous went tragically wrong after a police raid found more than 10g grams of meth in a Bruce Highway motel.
Hayden James Waterton rented out a Nebo Road motel room on February 13, 2023, where he was found the next day with an “associate” and 14g of pure meth in clip seal bags.
He pleaded guilty in Mackay Supreme Court on November 23 to possessing meth, two counts of possessing tainted property, possessing ammunition, possessing a police badge and four other drug-related summary offences.
“The packaging of the drugs, the quantity of Australian currency found, and the presence of other items such as digital scales, leads me to the conclusion that there was a commercial aspect,” Justice David North said.
“In other words, you were planning to sell to other users, reserving some of the drugs for your own use.”
Waterton was jailed for three years with parole eligibility on April 13, 2024.
FULL STORY HERE
Nishanthi Maree Csont
A Mackay mum of three was told her honest admissions to police were her saving grace after she stashed drugs inside of a washing machine.
Nishanthi Maree Csont was found with 2.499g of methamphetamine in a bag during a police stop on March 11, 2021.
The next day she admitted the bag was hers.
Mackay Supreme Court heard the 34 year old was placed on a good behaviour order only to then breach it weeks later on May 4.
A search warrant of Csont’s then partner’s home in Rural View revealed another bag hidden inside his washer.
It contained empty clip seal bags, 1.79g of meth, and 5.957g of GBL – a precursor to GHB.
Csont admitted the bag was hers and then spent three days in police custody.
Csont pleaded guilty to possessing a banned substance, supplying dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs, and possessing dangerous drugs exceeding two grams, and was jailed for 15 months with immediate parole.
FULL STORY HERE
Johnathon Jeffrey O’Brien
A Mackay man threw a knife and $15,000 worth of meth over a fence as he tried to escape arrest by assaulting a police officer.
An arrest warrant had been issued for Johnathon Jeffrey O’Brien when police spotted him parked outside an address in Andergrove on July 26, 2023.
The then 42 year old had a long criminal history and was on parole when officers found the clip seal bag while retrieving the knife.
Justice David North said the bag was filled with 22.723g substance comprising of 17.042g pure meth, valued between $3000 and $15,000 “depending on how it was marketed”.
“There was a commercial aspect to your possession (as) you were likely intending to use some of the methylamphetamine for your own gratification, but a portion of it was to be sold to others,” he said.
He pleaded guilty in Mackay Supreme Court to possessing more than two grams of meth, obstructing a police officer, and assaulting a police officer.
O’Brien was sentenced to 18 months for drug possession and 14 days for the obstruct and assault charges.
FULL STORY HERE
CONVICTIONS NOT RECORDED
Benjamin Paul Flohr
A 23-year-old described by his own mother as “untrustworthy and reliable” was living in “squalor” while dealing methamphetamine.
Solicitor Steven Hayles told Mackay District Court Benjamin Paul Flohr was working for his parent’s cattle grazing operation and staying at the homestead on their Mt Dilligen station, a 18,210ha property west of Moranbah.
Crown prosecutor Shannon Sutherland said a police search of the property on February 9, 2023, revealed Flohr had in his possession three metal silencers, ammunition, a water pipe, three glass pipes, a Nokia mobile revealing two separate sales of meth at one “point” each.
Flohr pleaded guilty to possessing a category R weapon, possessing utensils or pipes used in connection with a dangerous drug, possession of an object used in commission of a crime, not having authority for explosives, and two counts of supplying dangerous drugs.
He was given 18 months’ probation, “somewhat reluctantly” and convictions were not recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Simonne Latetia Louise Jeffs
A bottle shop attendant had just been holding onto a stash of marijuana for a mate to pass on to someone else when she was caught up in a police sting.
Simonne Latetia Louise Jeffs wasn’t the main target of police attention when she was arrested for supplying dangerous drugs in early 2024.
In fact her lawyer argued it was a different type of supply given she was not onselling to support a habit, Mackay Magistrates Court heard.
“It’s a different category of case in that she was holding it and then supplied it to essentially a drug dealer who was being watch by police,” Barron and Allen Lawyers solicitor Aaron Sellentin said.
Jeffs, a 45-year-old Mackay woman, pleaded guilty to seven charges committed between November 6, 2023 and January 19, 2024 including two counts of supplying marijuana (one ounce and then six ounces) and possessing a small quantity of methylamphetamines.
Magistrate Michelle Howard accepted Jeffs role in the supply offending was organising the handover of drugs for a friend.
Ultimately Ms Howard determined a nine-month probation order was appropriate and convictions were not recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
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