Lake Illawarra drug ring supplier Joshua Frankcom jailed for selling meth, recruiting members

Joshua Peter Frankcom was sentenced in Wollongong District Court last week after he pleaded guilty to supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, being 311 grams of methylamphetamine.

A police strike force was investigating the supply of methylamphetamine in the Lake Illawarra area in April 2018.

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Lawful telephone intercepts and other surveillance revealed the supplier would purchase bulk amounts of methylamphetamine, which he then on-sold to Matthew Spinks, Frankcom, Michael Kominkovski, Casey Dekker and Luke Kinzett for further distribution.

Between May 5 and November 14, Frankcom received between 14 grams and 56.6 grams of ice to supply to customers on nine occasions.

In handing down his judgement, Judge Andrew Haesler said the "operation was run by the supplier, assisted by Spinks and to a degree Frankcom".

"The offender's supply offence was; relatively disorganised, relatively low level, conducted on credit by a user/dealer who was seriously addicted and using considerable quantities of his own product," Judge Haesler said.

"He was constantly in debt to the up line supplier and acted at his direction.

"But he had his own customers and importantly he recruited others into the criminal group."

Judge Haesler said Frankcom was an "active participant", had some "autonomy" but the financial arrangements "were clearly haphazard", adding Frankcom expected to "make some profit" although most of his profit was drugs for his own use.

Judge Haesler heard Frankcom's drug use started after his parents split and he was in a "rut" which he couldn't see a way out.

Frankcom told the court he stopped using and selling ice after receiving a diagnosis of a life-threatening heart condition and started focusing on his health.

He said he changed his life with the help of rehabilitation providers, family and friends, adding he was remorseful for his actions.

Judge Haesler also noted Frankcom was employed and was ready to start an apprenticeship and was "well on his way to leading a normal community life" after appearing to beat his addiction.

"He now has considerable insight into what he did and why but he must be sentenced for what he did," Judge Haesler said.

"That sentence, because of its length, cannot be served subject to intensive correction in the community."

Frankcom was jailed for two years and five months with a non-parole period of 12 months.

He will be eligible to be released to parole on June 21, 2022.

Michael Kominkovski and Casey Dekker were sentenced in March to intensive corrections orders, of one year and six months and one year and 10 months, respectively.

Another member of the syndicate, Luke Kinzett will be sentenced on July 23 with Matthew Spinks sentence set for August.

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