Teen drone pilot charged over second alleged gangland murder plot

A teenager caught flying a drone near the south-west Sydney home of an underworld figure warned by police to fear for his life has been charged over an alleged murder plot.

Jimmy Schulz, 18, is due to face court on Tuesday charged over the alleged conspiracy to murder a man linked to the Haouchar crime family.

Earlier this month, Schulz was charged with murder over a separate incident, after allegedly flying a drone used in the mistaken identity shooting of Joshua Macdonald, 40, on September 2.

But police allege Schulz was also conducting drone surveillance as part of a separate murder plot on the day of his arrest. He was arrested in a car on September 11 alongside 19-year-old Ratu Viliame James Koroitamana, who was charged with driving while disqualified and participating in a criminal group to contribute to criminal activity.

Schulz was further charged on Monday with conspiring and agreeing to murder any person, participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity, possessing a dedicated encrypted criminal communication device to commit serious criminal activity, and failing to operate unmanned aircraft within visual line of sight.

Last week, stood down PE teacher Ashleigh Ann Seeney, 28, was charged in relation to the same plot.

Seeney was allegedly in “constant contact” with the two teens at West Hoxton, relaying information about police movements and leaving the area shortly after they were arrested.

Detective Superintendent Jason Box said the alleged murder plot Seeney and Schulz have been charged over targeted a man living nearby.

“He has been warned about this threat to life … as with most of the persons that we do warn, they’re – a lot of them – very dismissive of what we tell them,” Box said.

“He has been spoken to numerous times about his connections with organised crime, potential threats, and he was warned yet again after this.”

The alleged plot is said to stem from an internal dispute within the Haouchar crime family and is not believed to be related to ongoing conflict between the Alameddine organised crime network and rival group the Coconut Cartel.

Police allege the Haouchar crime family once controlled an international billion-dollar drug, gun and tobacco trafficking syndicate, commanded by Bilal Haouchar. Haouchar, who remains wanted by NSW Police, fled Australia for Lebanon, where he has been jailed.

Seeney and Schulz have both been charged in relation to Macdonald’s death at Merrylands West.

Schulz has been charged with murder and participating in a criminal group to contribute to criminal activity in relation to Macdonald’s killing. Seeney has been charged with accessory after the fact to murder, participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity and failing to comply with a digital evidence access order direction.

Both remain in custody and before the courts.

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