Man caught with commercial ice stash in Wahgunyah learns fate

Wangaratta man Daniel Sacco, 42, was caught with 222 grams of methamphetamine at Wahgunyah on August 22 last year.

A check of his backpack found the drugs inside a shopping bag, a baton and $10,340 in cash.

The 42-year-old has remained in custody since his arrest and was sentenced on a charge of commercial drug trafficking in the County Court on Friday.

The court heard COVID restrictions during his time in prison meant he had been unable to meet his baby daughter.

The infant girl was born several months ago while he was on remand.

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"That of course has been particularly burdensome for you, and been a factor which has made your remand to date extremely stressful and onerous," Judge Scott Johns said.

The court heard Sacco had priors for cannabis cultivation and had moved to more serious drug use, particularly following the death of his father three years ago.

Sacco told a psychologist his father had died in his arms after a heart attack, and he had tried to revive him.

But Judge Scott said commercial drug trafficking was a serious offence and carried a maximum jail term of 25 years.

Such offences, he said, "can wreak havoc on the community".

He noted there was no evidence of involvement in a wider criminal network and said his offending wasn't sophisticated.

Sacco had been walking in an area on Federation Way, which is not normally used by pedestrians, and aroused police suspicion.

He admitted to officers at the scene his backpack contained ice.

It was unclear who he got the drugs from or where he was heading.

Judge Johns imposed a minimum jail term of 20 months before he can apply for parole, less the 440 days already served.

He will serve a maximum of three years and three months.

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