If his social media was anything to go by, 28-year-old Brendan Baker lived a life of luxury.
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But he'll be trading the flashy cars and stylish suits for a prison cell over the next 13 years.
The former Kingston cafe owner had been facing the possibility of life behind bars when he was found guilty by a jury in June of 11 drug related offences, including attempted importation of methylone.
Methylone is a synthetic form of MDMA.
Justice John Burns sentenced Baker to 13 years' prison on Friday, with a non-parole period of seven years expiring in April 2025.
Justice Burns said Baker had been the driving force behind a significant drug operation, despite Baker continuing to protest his innocence and pleading not guilty to all charges.
The case against Baker centred around a former drug dealer turned police informant who gave days of evidence at trial of how Baker approached him and offered to supply him drugs at a cheaper price.
Despite Baker's defence team attempting to discredit the evidence from the former dealer, Justice Burns said clearly the jury accepted his version of events.
The man told the jury how he and Baker had gone into business together, originally trafficking cannabis before Baker began supplying the man MDMA to sell.
The jury heard details of the operation during the trial, including that Baker had purchased drugs off the dark web using Bitcoin and had delivered packages of drugs in a pink Barbie lunchbox.
Baker then hatched the plan to import the methylone from China, which Justice Burns said displayed an element of sophistication and planning on Baker's part.
Over the length of the drug dealing operation, about 14 months, the man estimated he paid $2 million to Baker.
Baker was, in part, undone by his obsession with flaunting his wealth over social media, depicting a life that could not be sustained by his lawfully declared income.
Justice Burns noted that he believed Baker was likely attracted to drug trafficking as a way to get lots of money quickly to surround himself with the trappings of success and appear to others as a successful individual.
However, Justice Burns rejected the notion, put forward by Baker to a psychologist, that he was used by others, was motivated by a desire to please people around him and that he had been naive.
He said Baker appeared to want to minimise his actions and had continued to state he had been approached by the drug dealer and not the other way around.
Justice Burns said any remorse Baker had displayed seemed to be directed at himself for finding himself in such a situation and did not accept responsibility for his actions.
However, he did note Baker had behaved in a positive manner while in custody, had been a good influence on other detainees and had participated in many education courses.
The court received evidence of Baker's charitable efforts prior to arrest such as helping at soup kitchens and with the rural fire service.
Justice Burns said Baker had reasonable prospects of rehabilitation.
Justice Burns said the court took drug offences very seriously for the misery the drug trade brought to both individuals and the community.
Dressed in a grey suit, Baker showed little emotion as his 13-year prison sentence was announced. Many of his family and supporters, who sat through every day of the trial, were in tears as they left the court.
