Christopher Lohmann pleads guilty to supplying, offering to supply cocaine

Police have uncovered a Queensland rugby league player and FIFO miner’s drug deals following a search warrant on his home, including an offer to sell an ounce of cocaine.

Christopher Aaron Lohmann leaves Maroochydore District Court on Monday. Picture: Patrick Woods

A court has heard how a raid on a Sunshine Coast miner’s home uncovered his drug dealing side hustle where he would supply cocaine to his mates.

Christopher Aaron Lohmann, a local rugby player and father, had his minor cocaine side job busted by police following a search warrant on his home on September 12 last year.

Maroochydore District Court heard on Monday the 38-year-old turned to drugs during a “tumultuous chapter” of his life, following the end of a relationship, when he was charged by police.

Legal officer Liam Dennis told the court Lohmann’s phone was seized and analysed where six drug deals were found on the encrypted messaging application Threema, where he spoke to three separate users.

Mr Dennis said the six deals included Lohmann sending a photo, believed to be of cocaine, which he said was “triple-A quality”, and organised to send it in the mail once discussing the final price with his supplier.

He told the court it was unknown whether the supply occurred.

Lohmann leaving court on Monday. Picture: Patrick Woods

The legal officer said Lohmann supplied $120 worth of testosterone to another user while he counselled them on how much to take. He also sent his bank details on the encrypted application.

The Maroochydore man then offered quotes of one gram of cocaine for $350 or an “eight ball” for $1200, however Mr Dennis said it is unclear if the deal took place for one gram.

Lohmann then offered to sell a user an ounce, or 28g of cocaine for $8500, where he advertised it as “premium” product.

The court heard of another deal to a user which was for a “ball” or 3.5g of cocaine. The 38-year-old said he was picking up an ounce from his supplier and could do the deal. He then told the user where he lived.

Mr Dennis said Lohmann’s final deal involved a user asking to purchase 3.5g of cocaine, with the rugby player agreeing to sell it for $1200. The court was told the user ended up picking up the cocaine from Lohmann’s house.

Lohmann pleaded guilty to all charges. Picture: Patrick Woods

During the search warrant police also uncovered a breach action shotgun, shotgun shells and two vials of steroids.

Lohmann told police he was storing the weapon and ammunition on behalf of the owner of the weapon as they did not want it stored in their house around young children.

Mr Dennis said there was an aspect of commercial gain behind Lohmann’s deals where he was buying “not insignificant” amounts of cocaine to sell to others while using an encrypted application.

Defence barrister Patrick Wilson said his client’s offending was out of character and occurred during an “unusual” period of his life.

Mr Wilson said the fly in fly out mining worker, who has links to Moranbah, had broken up with his partner in 2017 which led to more socialising where he began an “uncharacteristic” lifestyle.

The barrister said Lohmann was able to source the drugs for himself, however, he had mates asking for drugs, and told the court the 38-year-old made no profits from the deals.

He put to the court the Maroochydore man was a good father, good worker and a good man who was no longer using drugs.

“All of that can be accepted, but he’s a good man who sold two eight balls of cocaine,” Judge Glen Cash said.

Lohmann pleaded guilty to 10 charges including six counts of supplying dangerous drugs was jailed for 18 months, suspended immediately for 18 months.

Originally published as Christopher Lohmann pleads guilty to supplying, offering to supply cocaine