Tracey Ann Lang sentenced for aggravated drug supply to a prison in Rockhampton

A judge has described a gobsmacking foiled scheme involving a mother being paid to smuggle drugs to her son in prison as “elaborate”.

Behind prison barsPhoto: Brett Wortman / Sunshine Coast Daily

Another foiled attempt to smuggle drugs into a Queensland prison has revealed another method people have tried to get illegal or restricted items into jail undetected.

Tracey Ann Lang, 54, and two others were enticed by her son David John Ogden to supply him with the drug buprenorphine, the Rockhampton District Court has heard.

Crown prosecutor Kathryn Walker said Lang received instructions from the fourth person involved in the scheme “on how to pack the dangerous drugs” and then how they “would enter the correctional facility by mail without being detected”.

She said Lang was to receive money for sending the parcel.

Ms Walker said her residence was searched by police on January 17, 2023, where they seized a mobile phone which contained photographs of the packages, letters and labels and messages about Lang arranging to collect the package.

Judge Jeff Clarke said the man who gave Lang instructions was not charged in relation to this matter.

“He provided you with detailed instructions on how to smuggle buprenorphine strips into the Capricornia Correctional Centre by sending an envelope to your son disguised as having come from Phillips Crawford lawyers and secreting the strips in bundle of papers in the envelope,” Judge Clarke said.

“This was an elaborate scheme undertaken to disguise the package to make it look like it came from that particular place so that no doubt it would go through the scanning process at the prison and be considered to be confidential legal correspondence between the lawyer and the client.

“You were to be paid $1000 for your effort.”

Defence barrister Sheridan Shaw told the court on March 11 that while Lang had relevant drug-related convictions on her two-page criminal record, she was now on medicinal marijuana for pain and anxiety due to a back injury and her medical history includes menopause, hernia, reflux, heart disorder, hypothyroidism and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain.

She said Lang had also previously been diagnosed with depression and post traumatic stress disorder.

Ms Shaw said her client started consuming marijuana when she was 11 “to stop the hurt from her mother leaving” when she was four years old.

She said Lang had worked since leaving school in Year 10 until 2015, when her back was injured.

Ms Shaw said her client had described this offending as “the stupidest thing I’ve ever done”, having felt some pressure from her son but ultimately, it was her decision to participate.

Lang pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated drug supply to a prison and one of possessing a phone used in the commission of a crime.

Judge Clarke said Lang’s criminal record included convictions for growing marijuana.

He sentenced her to 18 months prison, suspended after serving six months prison, with an operational period of three years.

Originally published as Tracey Ann Lang sentenced for aggravated drug supply to a prison in Rockhampton