A South Australian police officer of more than two decades is now facing up to 10 years behind bars for trafficking methamphetamine in the Riverland.
Daniel John Schatto – a police officer in Renmark — was found guilty by a jury earlier this year of trafficking a controlled drug.
The 46-year-old is jointly charged with his ex-wife Natasha Marie Schatto, 38, who pleaded guilty to the same offence.
During a pre-sentence hearing, the District Court heard Schatto financed his former wife to buy methamphetamine knowing some "of the drugs purchased by Ms Schatto would be sold".
Daniel Schatto joined the police force in 2000, working in Adelaide — including at the busy Hindley Street station – before he was transferred to Berri and later Renmark in the Riverland.
Officers found up to $3,300 worth of methamphetamine concealed in Natasha Schatto's car in April 2020.
In a statement, SA Police said for two years Schatto was suspended on full pay but had been suspended without pay since April this year.
Prosecutor Timisha Ward told the court the offending was not isolated and was likely occurring before the couple was charged as police also found "tick lists" in notebooks and earlier messages between them about "gear".
Ms Ward also told the court the couple had messaged each other about "crackhead scrambling" and that "prices would soon be going up".
"(Schatto) was well aware of the value of the drugs at the time in view of their scarcity," she told the court.
"Mr Schatto's profession gave him a distinct insight and knowledge into drug offences and the drug trade.
"By virtue of his occupation as a police officer, he was sworn to uphold the law, but he has broken it."
Ms Ward told the court prison was the only appropriate sentence for the crime.
But Daniel Schatto's lawyer Nick Healy told the court his client had had an "exemplary police career" and should be shown "mercy" and spared jail because he was just trying to "appease his wife".
"There's no allegation of corruption alleged here in the sense that he's used his position (as a police officer) to somehow further or gain a benefit," he told the court.
"This offending had nothing to do with his job.
"There's no allegation that he was pinching drugs and providing to his wife, there was no allegation that he was somehow using his position to benefit a commercial enterprise."
But Judge Joanne Tracey said she thought Daniel Schatto had messaged his wife, telling her "police were out and about at certain places".
"Wasn't there a text in relation to him letting Ms Schatto know where police were on a certain occasion?" Judge Tracey asked Daniel Schatto's lawyer.
"I don't know that he was letting her know about exact locations," Mr Healy replied.
"At the very most he's telling his wife that the police are hot on this at the moment."
Mr Healy told the court his client had used methamphetamine "for a very, very brief period of time" around the time of the offending but "he didn't like it".
Mr Healy said two retired police officers had written character references to the court speaking "very highly" of Daniel Schatto.
The court heard the couple's marriage declined in 2018, with Daniel Schatto working long hours and regular night shifts.
Natasha Schatto's lawyer, Hugh Woods, told the court his client had no "unexplained wealth" and the drugs were mainly for personal use.
"That fits neatly with someone who is supporting heavy addiction and someone who doesn't have the financial capacity to support their heavy addiction," he told the court.
The pair will be sentenced next month.
