A Gungahlin man has admitted trafficking in cannabis after a raid on his home uncovered more than 1kg of the drug, with a potential street value of more than $20,000.
Jayke Steven John Fleury, 36, faced the ACT Supreme Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to charges of drug trafficking, possessing a prohibited weapon, and possessing stolen or unlawfully obtained property.
A statement of agreed facts shows police executed a search warrant at a Gungahlin unit that was leased by ACT Housing to Fleury's then-partner in July 2019.
Officers from the Australian Federal Police specialist response group forced entry to the property and found Fleury, who was living there alone because his then-partner, Julianne Williams, was in Canberra's jail.
Police seized cannabis from five different places in the unit, including a bedroom wardrobe and a set of drawers.
The drugs weighed a little more than 1kg, and could have sold at the time for as little as $5855 on ACT streets if they were dealt by the ounce.
That amount of cannabis might have fetched as much as $20,492, however, if it was distibuted in 1g "stick" deals.
Officers searching Fleury's home also discovered a can of prohibited capsicum spray on a bedside table, and located $1820 in cash beside one of the many bags of cannabis.
MORE COURT AND CRIME NEWS:
- Ex-Canberra Liberal faces NZ jail term over leaking pig farm, land reclamation
- No longer 'armchair activists': Black Summer bushfire trauma drives protesters
- 'Hard luck' for car thief as knuckle tattoos spotted at Maccas
- Suspended jail term for former army major after $44k fraud
Drug paraphernalia, in the form of digital scales and empty clip seal bags, was also found and photographed.
Forensic testing of the seized items revealed Fleury's left thumb print was on one of the bags of drugs.
There was also "extremely strong support for the proposition" DNA on some of the other bags and the spray can belonged to the 36-year-old man.
Fleury, who was initially issued a summons to face the ACT Magistrates Court, failed to appear there as required on multiple occasions.
He was eventually placed on bail and committed to the Supreme Court for trial after pleading not guilty.
Following a criminal case conference last November, however, he agreed to plead guilty.
Fleury was listed for sentencing on Thursday, but his matter was delayed to allow his barrister, James Sabharwal, to deal with issues arising from some unrelated charges.
Crown prosecutor Keegan Lee said the most serious of these charges, on which Fleury had been remanded in custody, was one of aggravated burglary.
Both counsel told the court Fleury was "clearly in need of long-term drug rehabilitation".
Acting Justice Verity McWilliam accordingly adjourned the case, which will go before a registrar on February 3 to determine what happens next.
