EVERY WALK OF NATION
SCOURGE of a Everyday people, from tradies to cops, have been caught up in crime due to drugs
Blue and white collar workers, including police officers, tradies, farm hands, teachers, and real estate agents, have all been busted committing crimes because of their involvement with drugs.
People from all walks of life are finding themselves in various amounts of trouble with the law over their use and — in some cases — addiction to drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis.
Some are now convicted drug users and others are yet to be caught out.
Last year ear the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commisommission reported orted Australians ans are the he highest per er capita users rs of meth, coocaine and nd MDMA (ececstasy) in the world.
Among those respected members of the community who have been convicted is a Sydney high-school science teacher who was supplying students with drugs.
Lauren Russell, 43, was caught on camera smoking from a homemade device with her students last year. The teacher had texted a 15-yearold boy, asking if he wanted to meet up and smoke cannabis, and picked up another student near the school.
A former Gold Coast Rapid Action and Patrols group police officer, Zachary Maidment, last year pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying and was given a three-month suspended prison sentence.
Maidment was still a police officer when he was caught on surveillance providing cocaine and snorting lines off his thenfiance’s chest in a room at Star Casino’s Darling Hotel in June 2020.
During sentencing, Maidment’s barrister claimed the cop had turned to drugs to help deal w with the stress of the j job. A Melbourne real rea estate agent who wh used coded ads ad on Craigslist to deal drugs was w addicted to cocaine co when she committed the crimes. c Kristiana Kris Karakostas, 27, admitted drug trafficking t and dealing with proceeds of crime.
Police found more than six grams of cocaine in her makeup bag, drug paraphernalia and more than $3000 in cash.
Karakostas was given a three-year community corrections order and must do 150 hours of community service
Sydney real estate agent
Blake Homann was caught red handed with 2.67g of cocaine and $1300 cash while out in the city. The 26-year-old was convicted of supplying a small quantity of a prohibited drug, possessing a prohibited drug and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Homann was sentenced to two 11-month community corrections orders on the condition he continue rehabilitation and psychological treatment and not use illicit drugs.
Socialite and top Sydney real estate agent Warren Ginsberg was also convicted of drug possession offences. The 33-year-old, who once dated actor Jodi Gordon, was convicted and fined after pleading guilty to cocaine possession.
A Queensland plumber, Zachary Stephen Lindsay James, was caught by police with half a gram of meth while on probation for drug offences. He pleaded guilty to nine drug offences committed while he was on probation in 2020.
A Bundaberg farm contractor, David Lawrence Eather, was busted driving on P-plates while under the influence of meth. The court heard that Eather had been before the courts previously for a similar offence.
A former South Australian police officer was jailed for drug trafficking.
Renmark police officer Daniel Schatto was convicted after giving his former wife money to buy and sell methamphetamine in the Riverland.