A Dundee street Valium dealer was snared after police investigating his customer’s death found a package of tablets with his DNA on it.
Father-of-two John Tracey appeared from custody at Perth Sheriff Court to admit being concerned in the supply of Etizolam to friend Frank de Gernier on May 13 2020.
Mr de Gernier, a “childhood friend” of Tracey’s, was found dead by family members just four days later, on May 17.
Police officers investigating the death found a knotted blue plastic bag full of tablets and a mobile phone.
The bag contained 210 tablets with a number 10 on one side and a marking on the other.
A selection of these pills were tested and found to be Class C drug Etizolam.
Drugs sold days before friend’s death
Fiscal Depute Matthew Kerr told Perth Sheriff Court fingerprints found on the outer surface of the bag were Tracey’s.
Officers also uncovered a Samsung phone in Mr de Gernier’s possession.
It was analysed and a string of text messages discussing a drug deal were uncovered.
The pair had first begun speaking on May 11 on Messenger and soon moved onto texting.
On May 12, Tracey said he would sell the drugs at a rate of £30 for 100 tablets.
Texts revealed Mr de Gernier, 45, agreed to buy 200 tablets, to be collected the next day.
The mobile’s call log showed three phone calls were made between Tracey and Mr de Gernier on the morning of May 13.
Tracey also received a message from Mr de Gernier the following day, praising the effectiveness of the drugs when consumed with Southern Comfort whiskey.
35-year-old Tracey was not arrested until August 20.
In a police interview, Tracey was told Mr de Gernier’s death was “being treated as drug related“.
Tracey, of Gourdie Road in Dundee, said: “I gave him some before.”
Serial offender
Tracey has previously been involved in dealing drugs in Tayside, including selling heroin in 2017.
He admitted being concerned in the supply of up to £100 worth of Etizolam on one day in particular to Mr de Gernier.
His solicitor David McLaughlin said addict Tracey had not taken any drugs since being remanded in prison.
Mr McLaughlin said: “He has had addiction to heroin, crack cocaine, cannabis and Valium.
“He wants to find some way of breaking that cycle.
“He was very friendly with the deceased.
“He bought it and sold it to him for exactly the same price.
“He doesn’t know where the additional tablets came from.”
Sheriff Gillian Wade sentenced Tracey to 70 weeks in prison and ordered forfeiture of the drugs.
“I accept that you’ve now pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of a Class C drug on one day.
“You do already have convictions.”
Victim’s past convictions
Frank de Gernier was jailed in 2014 for attacking a string of women over a decade in Dundee.
One partner described the beatings she suffered as being as bad as a car accident.
Other women told police how he punched them full force in the face “for no reason” before dragging them through their homes by their hair.
