Taylor Gorzkos jailed for more than three years on drug charges after $40,000 scattered on freeway
Taylor Michael Gorzkos, 35, was caught by police with 50.8g of cocaine and $8000 cash in his vehicle on the Mitchell Freeway at Kinross on December 5, 2023.
The court was told Gorzkos had stopped on the side of the freeway next to a black motorcyclist.
However, he was unaware that police were close behind as the motorcyclist had allegedly just strewn $40,000 in cash across the freeway for several kilometres in front of stunned drivers.
In Perth District Court on Monday Gorzkos was sentenced after pleading guilty to possession of prohibited drugs with intent to sell, possession of unlawfully obtained property and a further weapons charge.
Prosecutor Nicholas Versteegen told the court police following the motorcyclist found Gorzkos parked next to the bike on the side of the freeway.
The motorbike sped off and Gorzkos drove north however his car was pulled over and searched.
At the time of his arrest police said they had received reports from motorists of $50 notes in bundles strewn along the roadside at Connolly.
Body camera vision released by WA Police following the bizarre incident showed officers scrambling to pick up the wads of cash on the road and in roadside shrubs, which they estimated to be around $40,000 in total.
Gorzkos later told investigators that he had turned to selling cocaine because he needed, 'quick money,' to pay his rent and a large tax bill.
At sentencing his lawyer Paul Holmes said Gorzkos, a painter by trade, had experienced a downturn in work after COVID as well as housing stress having to move houses with his family four times.
The court was told that a month after his arrest a search of his home led to Gorzkos being further charged with a firearms offence.
Police found two 3D printers, in the kitchen and garage, printing parts for a semi-automatic pistol-caliber carbine.
He was charged with participating in the unauthorised manufacture of a firearm.
In sentencing Gorzkos, Judge Martin Flynn said he accepted he was, 'not a Mr Big in a drug dealing operation.'
'You wanted quick money so that you could effectively deal with your debt,' he said.
'What remains is that 50 grams of cocaine was going to do harm to the community and harm to others.'
Mr Holmes asked Judge Flynn to take into account that remand conditions at Casuarina prison were onerous with three people to a one person cell, lengthy lockdowns and visitor cancellations.
Judge Flynn agreed condition at the prison were, 'unreasonably harsh,' and took that into account when sentencing him to three years and two months for all three offences.
He ordered Gorzkos be eligible for parole after serving 19 months.
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