A MOUNT Gambier man will serve imprisonment on home detention after being sentenced for drug trafficking charges, which were uncovered by police during Operation Addenine in 2016.
Joshua Thomas Potter, 26, appeared in the Adelaide District Court to be sentenced for trafficking in a commercial quantity of fantasy and trafficking in methamphetamine.
The crimes occurred on May 10, 2016, when Potter purchased one litre of low quality fantasy for $2500 from a co-accused.
Based on the evidence of a drug investigating officer, the one litre of fantasy could fetch between $3000 and $6000 based on the standard rate of $3 to $6 per millilitre at the time.
“Although you were not earning enough money from this transaction to live a lavish lifestyle, you were receiving some profit nonetheless,” Judge Sydney Tilmouth said.
Potter was a user of fantasy, however the purchase was made for his own use and to supply to others, the court heard.
“You planned to separate the litre into five 200ml quantities and distribute them for $500 each in order to break even,” Judge Tilmouth said.
Three days after purchasing the fantasy, Potter assumed the role of a facilitator.
He arranged and negotiated a transaction for the purchase of 5.5 ounces of methamphetamine for $19,000 on behalf of David Puckridge.
“You essentially placed him into contact with another drug dealer,” Judge Tilmouth said.
Judge Tilmouth sentenced Potter to three years, seven months and one week for the trafficking charges, which was reduced by two months and two weeks for time spent in custody.
He was also sentenced for breaching a suspended sentence bond and various other minor theft charges committed in Adelaide.
The total head sentence amounted to seven years, seven months and three weeks.
Judge Timouth set a non-parole period of four years.
It was highlighted that since the drug trafficking offending, the defendant had spent around two years in prison and had responded “quite well”.
Therefore Judge Tilmouth allowed the sentence to be served on home detention.
“Mr Potter, I’m not going to lecture you – you have been through the criminal justice system quite enough,” Judge Tilmouth said.
“I expect you understand that in effect there is zero tolerance for drugs for you from now on.”
