The television networks may not have shown interest in his story just yet, but as he sits in jail serving a nine-year sentence for his crimes, he may be interested in getting a copy of a book to be released today.

Ice Nation: Cracking an Ice Syndicate is the story how how Dalton and his crew built a multi-million dollar drug empire, then had it ripped away by police detectives determined to stop the hurt it was causing.

Written by one of the lead investigators, Detective Leading Senior Constable Jason Bray, the book delves into how the promise of the high life lead to methamphetamine addiction and violent revenge against anyone who wronged the syndicate or could not pay their huge debts.

But if Dalton still wants notoriety, he may be a little disappointed.

Bray has chosen to refer to him as simply “the Boss” – an apt description of the man who demanded full loyalty.

The sadistic man seen by police on many occasions was always hidden during court appearances in later years, behind the mask of a polite young man who wore glasses.

“Behind closed doors and within the drug community, the Boss built a reputation of being a dangerous and violent thug who ruled with an iron fist. He surrounded himself with people who were younger than himself and whom he could intimidate and instil with his type of discipline,” the book states.

His offsiders have been given a range of pseudonyms such as “the Baker” or names like Eddie and Jock.

Anyone following the Wangaratta gossip or court proceedings back in 2012 will have enough information to match the pseudonyms to the real individuals.

By taking away real names, Ice Nation becomes a story of ordinary young men and women who got in well over their heads.

The Border Mail has written before about how Wangaratta has been over-represented in major crimes in recent years, including a concerning high rate of murders.

But the statistics show that otherwise, it is quite a safe and law-abiding city.

Bray also makes this clear in the book and has nothing but praise for the beautiful areas of the North East and their hard-working residents.

His tale is a cautionary one of what can happen when young people, brought up with love and support from law-abiding parents, get sucked into the life of a dangerous and addictive drug.

Ice is sadly well known across the Border these days, but in 2012 it was just starting to get a hold on regional areas like Wangaratta.

The book is significant because it shows the start of how so many in the city became hooked, leading to the situation we have now of damaged addicts in desperate need of support.

Bray does not hold back on what he and the wider community see as a problem – the lack of rehabilitation beds, and the fact it is easier for criminals to be granted a place than other addicts because they are facing jail time.

If the book can scare a few other people away from becoming an addict, it will have done its job.

Details of Dalton and his ice syndicate were widely reported at the time as information was revealed in court proceedings, but a summary of offences clinically read out by a prosecutor can only have so much effect.

We knew houses and cars were set on fire, one man was severely beaten in his home, and another was hit with shotgun pellets while standing at his front door.

Having spoken to the victims in each of these incidents, Bray can describe the utter terror they were feeling as their lives were threatened.

The most confronting scene in the book is the beating of a young man, who knew someone who owed Dalton money. 

This victim was not a syndicate henchman, he was not involved at all, showing that anyone at the community could have become a target if they had the wrong friends.

Catching the syndicate was not an easy, 9-to-5 job the coppers could achieve from the comfort of their office.

The North East police superintendent at the time described it as “good police work” - he was understating it. Bray and his colleagues put their own safety on the line numerous times to catch Dalton.

They did not brag about this, choosing instead to tell the media about the millions of dollars of drugs taken off the streets and the violent criminals put behind bars.

Not long after Dalton was sentenced to jail in 2014, Wangaratta’s detectives arrested another drug syndicate working in the city, this time headed up by a woman in her 20s.

The original dealers had been locked away, but the ice problem has proved to be here to stay for a while longer.

After overseeing the conviction of more than 100 high and low-level drug dealers over six years, Bray has since moved to a role in Wangaratta’s Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team.

His colleagues have continued the battle against drugs in their city and a third alleged drug syndicate in just five years will face up to their charges in court later this year.

BOOK EXTRACT: How the boys in blue brought down The Boss