A recidivist North Albury criminal has admitted to illicit drug deals where he thought he was selling to addicts when instead it was undercover police.
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One one occasion, John Wayne Payne approached his "customers" in an Albury motel car park and went on to supply the two men with methamphetamine for a $350 return.
He organised for another deal to be sealed near a Lavington park, only for the buyers to be told they instead needed to return to the car park, where the drug was again supplied
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Payne, 27, of Bralgon Street, has pleaded guilty in Albury Local Court to supplying a prohibited drug at greater than an indictable but less than a commercial quantity, plus three less serious supply charges.
Sentencing might need to be referred to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Defence lawyer Henry Robinson said Payne was on parole for a four-year, six-month sentence imposed in 2019 over an incident where he pushed a teenage boy in front of a car after a joint street robbery in mid-2018.
The victim, 16, suffered a fractured left knee, fractured left leg, abrasions to his hands and face and a severely lacerated right leg.
Magistrate Tony Murray ordered a sentence assessment report on the drug supply matters, adjourning the case to February 1.
"The prosecution wants to find out if they want this matter to go before the Local Court or ... to the District Court," he told Payne.
Wagga detectives, the court heard, had established "Strike Force Schaefer" to investigate the supply of prohibited drugs around Albury.
Police said two men involved in the operation were in Albury's Fountain Court Motor Inn car park on September 28 when Payne approached them at 5.10pm.
They said they had previously been offered "ice" for $600.
"The accused," police said, "offered to supply the two male witnesses (with) half a gram of methamphetamine for $350."
Payne travelled in the men's car to the Mecure hotel in Olive Street.
He got out, went inside, returned a short time later and told them to drive to the APCO service station in Mate Street.
Again, Payne got out then returned soon after, handing them a small bag with half a gram of "ice" for which they gave him $350.
He completed one other deal that day and two the following day.
Payne, who is in custody bail refused, was arrested at a unit in Hague Street, Lavington, on December 9.
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