Christian Mark, 31, of Shepparton pleaded guilty in Shepparton County Court to trafficking a commercial quantity of cocaine, trafficking ecstasy, trafficking methamphetamines, trafficking ketamine and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
He also pleaded guilty to a summary charge of dealing with the suspected proceeds of crime.
The court heard Mark was the target of police surveillance on October 19, 2024, where he was seen at two Shepparton pubs interacting with people and then getting something from his car.
When police stopped him, they found drugs in his car, as well as at his house.
In total, he had 5.3g of cocaine, about 60g of amphetamine, 65g of ecstasy and 10g of ketamine.
All the drugs were split into small amounts and were in small zip-lock deal bags.
His phone also revealed text messages about drug sales, as well as a tick book of sales.
The prosecution said the amounts on his phone added up to show he had sold 560g of cocaine at 70 to 80 per cent purity.
Anything over 500g of cocaine is considered a commercial quantity of the dug.
Police also discovered $400 in his car, which Mark admitted was from drug sales that day, as well as $2600 they believe to be the proceeds of crime.
In sentencing Mark, Judge Michael Bourke said Mark had made full admissions to police about his drug taking and trafficking, and his sentence was moderated because of this as these admissions were the basis for proof of his drug trafficking.
He also said he had a good work ethic, having worked as a painter and decorator before losing his job because of his drug use one week before his arrest.
Judge Bourke said Mark had started using cannabis in his teens, and “party drugs” in his 20s, and at the time he was arrested he was using 7g of cocaine a day himself.
“You trafficked drugs alone, and I accept a significant amount was for your own use,” he said.
However, Judge Bourke said the drug trade “causes major harm” to the community.
Judge Bourke sentenced Mark to 18 months in prison, and set a non-parole period of eight months.
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