PHOTO: Peter John Yeh
Following the collapse of both a lucrative business opportunity and his marriage, a once-prominent real estate agent, Peter John Yeh, found himself ensnared in the drug trade. Queensland’s Supreme Court revealed that Yeh’s downfall was sealed when he sold 2 grams of ice to an undercover officer for $800.
Prior to his descent into drug trafficking, Yeh had enjoyed a successful career within Brisbane’s real estate scene, boasting stints at esteemed agencies like Ray White Paddington, Harcourts in Bulimba, and LJ Hooker in Coorparoo. However, his fortunes took a sharp turn in 2017 when a promised business deal fell through, coupled with the disintegration of his second marriage. These personal setbacks catalyzed Yeh’s recreational drug use into a destructive addiction, ultimately leading him to peddle drugs at street level.
Justice Michael Copley lamented Yeh’s trajectory, remarking on the tragic transformation of a man in his mid-50s resorting to drug dealing to address his addiction-induced woes. Yeh pleaded guilty to trafficking ice and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) between September 3, 2021, and June 23, 2022, with some offenses committed while on parole.
The court heard Yeh had worked for real estate agents in some of Brisbane ‘s most expensive suburbs including Ray White Paddington, Harcourts in Bulimba and LJ Hooker in Coorparoo
Operating primarily around Brisbane’s inner city, Yeh conducted his drug trade through encrypted messaging apps like Signal and conventional texts, amassing significant profits. While the exact earnings remain undisclosed, his unexplained income during his time on Jobseeker amounted to $174,562.
Despite his past transgressions, Yeh’s defense lawyer Elliot Boddice attested to his client’s rehabilitation, citing psychologist Peter Stoker’s diagnosis of depression and methamphetamine dependency disorder during Yeh’s drug-selling period. The collapse of the promised business deal, coupled with escalating marital discord, exacerbated Yeh’s drug use from recreational to uncontrollable.
Yeh pleaded guilty to multiple drug-related charges and was sentenced to four years in prison for trafficking, with an additional month for possession of drug paraphernalia. Justice Copley stipulated that the 505 days already served would count towards his sentence, making Yeh eligible for parole from the day of the court’s ruling.