ACT Policing's Taskforce Invidia arrested a Braddon bricklayer after he allegedly threatened to shoot a woman over a "drug debt", a court has heard.
Brent Smith-Roberts, 34, faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Saturday, August 1, charged with a reckless threat to kill a person, and using a carriage service to menace.
He did not enter any pleas when he appeared in court via audio-visual link, wearing a black puffer jacket and blue pants.
Smith-Roberts' application for bail was refused and he was remanded in custody.
Police say they arrested the man on Friday, July 31, following a report on July 29 alleging he had called a woman and threatened to harm her using a gun.
The court was shown messages between both parties, and a video of Smith-Roberts in which he allegedly pointed a firearm at the camera and pretended to pull the trigger.
During the 34-year-old's bail application, Legal Aid duty lawyer, Sam Collett, told the court police suspected him to be a member of an outlaw motorcycle gang "based on his movements in the ACT" and this was merely speculation.
Mr Collett said Smith-Roberts had recently been released from the Alexander Maconochie Centre on parole and was working as a casual bricklayer.
The court heard officers from Taskforce Invidia - which targets outlaw motorcycle gangs - had searched his Braddon unit on July 5.
During the search, police said there was no one inside the unit and allegedly seized more than $17,000 in cash, ammunition, and clear bags of methamphetamine and heroin among other items.
On July 5, police also seized clothing and posters related to the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle gang allegedly found in the flat.
In court, a prosecutor said Smith-Roberts had been charged with threatening someone a month after leaving Canberra jail.
The prosecutor said there appeared to be a drug debt between him and the alleged victim and that it was possible he could try to intimidate her.
On July 31, taskforce officers arrested the 34-year-old at a Monash home, in south Canberra, and searched his northside unit with ACT Policing's Drug and Organised Crime team, Australian Federal Police's forensic team and canine unit.
During the search on July 31, police allegedly seized mobile phones, methamphetamine, and cash among other items.
The taskforce also seized the man's utility truck, a white Nissan Navara, which was towed away.
On Saturday, August 1, magistrate Glenn Theakston rejected Smith-Roberts' bail application stating the alleged threats would be taken seriously.
Based on the 34-year-old's criminal history, Mr Theakston voiced "a real concern" that he would reoffend and said his use of methamphetamine could also cause him to behave erratically.
Mr Theakston also noted an allegation that Smith-Roberts was involved with an outlaw motorcycle gang and that a Taskforce Invidia investigation was under way.
The matter will return to court later this month.
