A former electronics engineer who was in the process of being “radicalised” by “extremist right-wing ideologies” when he was arrested has been sentenced to at least three years in prison but is already eligible to apply for parole.
Artem Vasilyev pleaded guilty to 19 counts of possessing a firearm without a licence, one count of possessing a firearm without identifying marks and two counts of possessing an unregistered firearm, after his Findon home in Adelaide’s west was raided by police in 2021.
The 27-year-old was also accused of one count of planning a terror attack but denied that offence and was subsequently found not guilty by a jury earlier this year.
Vasilyev was first taken into custody three years ago and has since made “good friends” in prison, according to the South Australian Supreme Court’s Justice Sandi McDonald.
On Thursday, Justice McDonald sentenced Vasilyev, who is a former Department of Defence employee, to four years and nine months in prison, with a non-parole period of three years.
But the sentence was backdated to when Vasilyev was first taken into custody three years ago, meaning he is now eligible to seek parole.
Justice McDonald said a report prepared by forensic psychologist Loraine Lim found Vasilyev was in the process of being radicalised at the time of his arrest in September 2021.
“Dr Lim formed the view that your interest in the extremist ideologies had extended beyond mere curiosity and an altruistic desire to protect Australia’s national security,” she said.
“In her opinion, you were someone who was in the process of becoming radicalised at the time that you were soliciting the extremist materials and engaging in chats with other like-minded individuals.
“By the time of your arrest and remand, you had not fully radicalised.
“It is likely the radicalisation process was prematurely terminated by your arrest.”
Justice McDonald said this opinion was based on the “extremist right-wing ideologies on computers, materials relating to firearms, explosives, terrorism and ways to avoid detection by the authorities” in his possession.
However, she said a report concluded that Vasilyev is now at low risk of reoffending and committing an act of violence.
“Dr Lim observed that since your arrest, your insight into your offending behaviour appears to have significantly improved and you’ve accepted appropriate responsibility and accountability for your conduct,” she said.
“It cannot be overlooked however that you are someone who is prepared to come onboard so quickly and espousing an ideology that most members of the community would find abhorrent.”
‘Desire to remain in contact with prisoners’
Justice McDonald said the 27-year-old had had a “smooth experience” in prison and had made “good friends”.
“Of note, you’ve said you have not encountered any difficulties with respect to your socialisation with other prisoners,” she said.
“Rather, you hold the belief that your social skills have improved significantly during your time on remand because it was a sink-or-swim situation.
“You feel that for the first time in your adult life, you have made some good friends who are supportive of you and who celebrated with you when the jury found you not guilty of the terrorism charge.”
Vasilyev was sentenced in South Australia’s Supreme Court. (ABC News: Che Chorley)
Justice McDonald said defence lawyer Scott Henchliffe KC previously submitted to the court that Vasilyev’s interest in firearms derived from his upbringing in Russia but admitted that “using the 3D printer to manufacture parts and to build an actual weapon from about 2019 onwards was clearly a reckless and ill-informed decision”.
She also said that Vasilyev’s arrest has “come as a shock” to him and had “forced” him to “reflect on and re-evaluate your previous lifestyle and poor decision-making”.
“Dr Lim, however, raised a concern about you expressing a desire to remain in contact with prisoners with whom you’ve developed a friendship whilst in custody,” she said.
“Given your limited social skills and general naivety this potential makes you vulnerable to be inappropriately taken advantage of and put you at risk of re-offending and behaving in a socially unacceptable manner.”