Prominent Austin commercial real estate broker arrested, tied to high-end cocaine ring
Prominent Austin commercial real estate broker arrested, tied to high-end cocaine ring
AUSTIN (KXAN) — An affluent Austin commercial real estate broker was arrested on Thursday on accusations he played a key role in growing a high-end cocaine distribution enterprise that catered to affluent clientele, including doctors, executives, and members in the entertainment industry, according to an arrest affidavit.
According to Travis County records, Justin Mark Bayne, 45, was taken into custody on a charge of criminal conspiracy, a second-degree felony, as well as a third-degree felony charge of possession of a controlled substance. Investigators allege he routinely purchased cocaine and introduced multiple wealthy associates to an accused drug dealer as part of a “concierge-style” narcotics network, the affidavit states.
Details about Bayne’s bond and attorney were not immediately available Friday. KXAN will update this story once this information is available.
The warrant, issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety, alleges Bayne maintained a supplier-buyer relationship with Uthman “Tobi” Oluwatobi Salisu, who authorities describe as a “known distributor of cocaine” in south Austin and Tarrytown. The DPS Organized Crime Unit began investigating Salisu after receiving an anonymous iWatch Texas tip in 2025. Surveillance and undercover buys followed, which led to his arrest in September.
KXAN reached out to Salisu’s attorney and will update this story once a response is provided.
According to the investigation, financial records and forensic analysis of Salisu’s phone revealed months of communication with Bayne, including repeated requests for “8s” — a reference to eight-balls of cocaine, police said. The affidavit cites messages in which Bayne arranged pickups, transferred payment through Venmo and initiated the purchase of narcotics directly from his office, where he serves as the president of Bayne Commercial.
Authorities say Bayne allegedly expanded Salisu’s client list by introducing him to friends described in the documents as “executives,” “pro players” and “doctors.” In one exchange, Bayne wrote, “Glad to intro u guys… [he] is a trusted friend. Super cool. He’s a doctor.”
Investigators estimate that introductions facilitated by Bayne led to at least $47,097 in cocaine transactions, according to the affidavit.
Salisu is currently being held in the Travis County Jail on five first-degree felony charges of money laundering greater than or equal to $300K and four counts of manufacturing or delivering a controlled substance. A forensic financial audit found that most Venmo transactions linked to his account appeared tied to narcotics sales, including those involving Bayne.
The affidavit concludes that Bayne’s actions “furthered the criminal enterprise” and that probable cause exists to charge him with criminal conspiracy. He was booked into the Travis County jail on Thursday evening.
In addition to serving as the president of Bayne Commercial, Bayne is the cofounder and owner of Firmspace, an executive suite company, and serves as a manager for Deep Eddy Capital, according to his LinkedIn page.
“He has handled nearly half a billion dollars in commercial real estate transactions and is currently one of the top individual brokers in Austin,” his LinkedIn page states.
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