Dealer flaunted wealth
A “BIG-NOTING” drug dealer who used the dark web to cover his tracks was the maker of his own undoing, flaunting his wealth and status on Instagram.
Shane Brendan Marshall, 23, posted six photos of himself to his personal Instagram page with bundles of money, pills and smoking a joint while holding a knife.
The Townsville Magistrates Court heard police executed a search warrant at Marshall’s address on September 22, 2018.
Police found clip seal bags, 3g of cannabis, 15 alprazolam tablets, scales, a water pipe, an electric grinder and a money counter.
The court heard an analysis of Marshall’s phone uncovered nine offers to supply drugs that turned over $5605 between September 3, 2017 and September 21, 2018.
Crown prosecutor Siobhan Harrison presented to the court six photographs from Marshall’s Instagram page depicting “drugs and large quantities of cash”. Ms Harrison told the court Marshall used the dark web and traded in bitcoin to purchase prescription drugs and would use the encrypted Wickr phone application as a communication channel with his customers.
Marshall pleaded guilty to 12 charges including one count of trafficking dangerous drugs and nine counts of supply dangerous drugs.
The court heard Marshall had appeared before the Townsville Magistrates Court in 2015 for drug trafficking.
THE relaxation of the COVID-19 restrictions to allow fans back into the Queensland Country Bank Stadium has seen a surge in demand for North Queensland Cowboys merchandise.
Cowboys Leagues Club general manager Clint Williams said since the lockdown there had been a slump in sales but through the club’s online store fans had still been able to buy merchandise.
But since the easing of restrictions more and more fans had been coming into the club to get
Defence barrister Dane Marley presented to the court three character references.
Marshall’s brother’s reference urged Judge John Coker to dismiss Marshall’s “hard exterior” and that he was a “kindhearted and gentle” man.
Mr Marley said that his client’s drug supply was not excessive.
“In view of a one year trafficking period, one might think of that on first glance, a robust trafficking business,” he said.
“But when viewed with total supplies and turnover, the business itself was on a very small scale. There was no concerning profit.”
Judge Coker rebutted Mr Marley. “Except for the photographs tendered from Instagram showing a lump of a significant amount of money spread out on a bed,” he said.
“And in his own words, ‘Count them dollars’ and what seems to be 100s of tablets (captioned), ‘Counting is the worst part’.
“He certainly tried to bignote himself as something more big time and the Crown their Cowboys gear. “As soon as retail could reopen we saw some good sales but in the last week since the announcement that there were going to be crowds back we definitely had a good uplift of people back into the shop,” Mr Williams said.
“There has definitely been a rush from fans hoping they will be one of the lucky ones heading to the game.”
He said the store at the club had the biggest range of Cowboys merchandise in Australia.
“We have every type of apparel you can think of from dog collars, stickers, baby wear, posters, seat suggests that he was trying to be secretive about it,” he said.
Judge Coker told Marshall his actions were “foolish” and it was a shame he didn’t take the “golden ticket” when he was sentenced in 2015 for drug trafficking without having a conviction recorded.
“You re-entered that murky world and you re-entered it with gusto,” he said.
Marshall was sentenced to two-and-a-half years’ jail with a parole release date set at December 18 this year.
Convictions were recorded. covers, quilt covers, beanie’s and scarfs. He said the home-and-away jerseys had been very popular.
“I think they are the best home-and-away jerseys we have had for a long time and the Indigenous jerseys been very good and we have actually sold out of those but we are hoping to get more of those in the next 7-10 days.”
The Cowboys Leagues Club is open from 10am to 8pm seven days a week but the shop is open early on Sundays at 9am for the markets and if people cannot go to the club they can access the online shop.