Rockhampton’s Amy Melissa Alderson jailed for trafficking meth

A mother-of-two once caught with a man hiding meth under his “scrotum” when police suspected she was on a drug run has been busted tipping off a supplier.

Rockhampton’s Amy Melissa Alderson jailed for trafficking meth

A former adult shop worker who was a victim of armed robbery has been jailed for trafficking methamphetamines as she faces a devastating cancer diagnosis.

Amy Melissa Alderson, 39, turned to using meth after being robbed by a man high on amphetamines and armed with a knife in 2007, her defence barrister Nicholas Brown told Rockhampton Supreme Court on April 11.

He said despite her long struggles with drug use, the mother-of-two had a good work history, including roles as a residential youth worker and a residential support worker.

“She unfortunately has received some devastating news and that weighs heavily on her,” Mr Brown said.

Alderson has been diagnosed with stage two cancer and requires radiation treatment, and possible chemotherapy, before undergoing major surgery.

She will undergo most of her treatment while incarcerated after being sentenced this week for trafficking meth for two months while on bail, parole and a suspended sentence.

Justice Graeme Crow said Alderson’s trafficking was detected during Queensland Police Service’s Operation Uniform Wilton.

Alderson had 36 “customers” and provided a total of 315.7g in 126 supplies between July 6 and September 9, 2022, the court heard.

Justice Crow said her largest supply was “an incredible” 140g for $37,500.

He said police intercepted her driving on August 11, 2022, after suspecting she had travelled to Gladstone to restock her drug supply.

Justice Crow said her passenger, Patrick Lloyd Swayn, “poorly” hid 101.467g of substance, which contained 72.967g of pure meth, under his “scrotum”.

Patrick Swayn. Photo Kathryn Greensill / The Morning Bulletin

Swayn was handed a two years and four months prison term in August 2023 after pleading guilty to one count of possessing more than 2g of a schedule one drug.

Police intercepted Alderson’s calls after the intercept about the larger quantity and she was heard saying, “I hope you’ve thrown out your sh*t in your shed because I guarantee you’re gonna be raided”.

Alderson, who was released on bail, continued trafficking drugs and on August 18 she indicated she had dropped drugs off to a customer who was on their way to court.

Alderson also supplied an undercover police officer with 1.75g for $750.

Justice Crow said there was uncertainty about how much profit Alderson made as only 49 of the supplies referred to specific prices and those totalled $91,660.

Alderson’s George Street residence was searched by police on September 9, where they located two phones which required codes to access information, which Alderson refused to provide.

She pleaded guilty to one count each of trafficking drugs, possessing more than 2g of drugs and contravening a directive to provide access to electronically stored information.

Justice Crow said Alderson’s criminal record contained 14 attendances in court for drug offences and attended court in August 2022 while she was on bail, on parole and subject to a suspended prison term.

He sentenced her to six years prison, declared 364 days presentence custody as time already served and set parole eligibility for December 10, 2024.

Originally published as Rockhampton’s Amy Melissa Alderson jailed for trafficking meth