William Noel Wheatley, a former Australian Federal Police officer, was found with 200 grams of methamphetamine, a quantity 50 times higher than the threshold for trafficking. Despite this, Wheatley avoided prison and pleaded guilty to lesser charges in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. The case, described by the magistrate as “shrouded in mystery”, left questions about how and why the drugs ended up in Wheatley’s possession in December 2022.
While Wheatley was initially ordered to stand trial in the County Court on multiple charges, including drug trafficking, the matter was sent back to the lower court where he pleaded guilty to possession. Despite the large quantity of drugs found, Wheatley was only prosecuted for possession, a crime with smaller penalties than trafficking. Magistrate Costas Kilias noted that the case was notable for both what was and was not revealed in court, emphasizing the unusual circumstances of Wheatley being a serving member of the AFP and army reserve with an otherwise unblemished record.
Wheatley, who resided in Kensington in Melbourne, had previously worked in the fraud area of cybercrime and the anti-child exploitation team, a joint unit with Victoria Police, before his arrest. However, the court heard during the recent hearing that Wheatley is no longer with the AFP. The case also mentioned Wheatley’s past charges related to the alleged theft of $6 million in Bitcoin, which are no longer being pursued. These details painted a complex picture of Wheatley’s career and legal troubles leading up to his possession charges.
The circumstances surrounding Wheatley’s possession of a large quantity of methamphetamine raise questions about how the drugs came into his possession while he was a serving police officer. The mystery surrounding this case and Wheatley’s background in cybercrime and anti-child exploitation work added layers of complexity to the situation. Despite these complexities, Wheatley was able to avoid prison time and plead guilty to lesser charges in court.
The court’s decision to prosecute Wheatley for possession rather than trafficking highlighted the unusual nature of the case, which featured a significant amount of drugs found in a former AFP officer’s possession. Magistrate Kilias remarked on the curious combination of Wheatley’s law enforcement background and lack of criminal history, describing the case as encased in its own unusual factual circumstances. Wheatley’s legal troubles, including past charges related to Bitcoin theft, added to the intrigue surrounding the case.
In the end, Wheatley’s plea deal and avoidance of more serious charges raised questions about the justice system’s handling of cases involving law enforcement officers. Wheatley’s background in cybercrime and anti-child exploitation work, along with his mysterious possession of a large quantity of drugs, added a layer of complexity to the case. Despite the lack of clarity surrounding Wheatley’s possession of methamphetamine, the court’s decision ultimately avoided imposing harsh penalties on the former officer.
