Parents, business owners, truckies and footy players: The South Australians charged in AN0M sting
They look like everyday South Aussies, but these residents were arrested in one of the biggest stings in SA history. Here’s what we know about the people caught up in SA’s AN0M bust.
They look like everyday South Australians.
They have families, jobs and are involved with local sports clubs and community groups.
But these residents were arrested in one of the biggest stings in SA history.
Here’s everything we know about the people arrested in the AN0M sting.
Robert Errigo — Munno Para West
Mr Errigo, 29, appeared in court on Thursday to apply for home detention bail.
He is yet to enter a plea to 10 counts of trafficking in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug and one count of cultivating a controlled plant.
Prosecutors were not opposed to the Munno Para West man’s release if a suitable address was located and additional conditions were imposed.
Mr Errigo is the co-owner of a concreting company with one of his family members.
The 29-year-old registered E3 Concrete Constructions in February 2023.
The business has worked on a range of residential projects across South Australia.
Its Instagram and Facebook pages are devoted to images of their work and their employees.
Mr Errigo also recently celebrated a lavish wedding, donning a white suit with black pants. With bright lights and guests clapping, Mr Errigo wore a wide smile and black wedding band.
Stuart Joseph Gill — Noarlunga Downs
Stuart Joseph Gill was denied home detention for risk of reoffending due to the 39-year-old’s prior convictions for drug trafficking.
Mr Gill started his own car servicing business in 2021 called Stuart Gill Automotive Services and Moto Restoration, however it stopped operations in July 2023.
Counsel, for Mr Gill, told the court on Thursday his client had spent the last 15 years “in ruin” from methamphetamine but was now working full time as a truck driver.
Magistrate John Clover refused Mr Gill bail and adjourned the charges until next month.
Jye Anthony Boyanton — Netley
Father of three Jye Anthony Boyanton, 38, is charged with multiple offences, including large commercial drug trafficking and money laundering.
The Netley man applied for home detention bail and Magistrate Ben Sale ordered a report and adjourned the application until next month.
Mr Boyanton got married and started his own earthworks company in 2022.
B and I Earthworks first started operations in August of 2022, though the entity was officially registered a year earlier in September 2021.
Jesse Saunders – Glenelg North
The former owner of a popular Semaphore takeaway shop, Mr Saunders has been charged with seven counts of trafficking in a controlled drug and two counts of money laundering.
The 36-year-old Glenelg North resident has operated businesses at multiple across South Australia and New South Wales since 2014.
Most notably, Mr Saunders was the owner of Chicken King Chicken and Seafood at Semaphore which opened in December 2022, and closed less than six months later in April 2023.
He was remanded in custody to face court again next month.
Harley Poulton – Munno Para West
Mr Poulton, 33, of Munno Para West, is charged with five counts of trafficking in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug.
A prosecutor alleged the father of two trafficked “just over a tonne” of cannabis, between Adelaide and NSW for a syndicate, saying he was “at the heart” of its operations.
He said another of the arrested men, whose identity is suppressed, was “at the apex” of the syndicate while fellow accused Rhys Mundy was “a customer”.
Mr Poulton, he alleged, used an AN0M-equipped device to “play a key role” in the sourcing, sorting, transport, packaging and delivery of cannabis.
“We allege he trafficked, over five occasions, a total of 1056.64kg of cannabis which is, by my maths, just over a tonne,” he said.
Mr Poulton counsel asked he be released on bail, saying he was a father of two and owner of an air conditioning installation business with three staff.
Magistrate Ben Sale said he could not do that.
“There was an enormous amount of cannabis involved in these allegations (against him), I think the lowest amount is something like 400lbs,” he said.
“If we were dealing with something less Herculean, like 8lbs or 20lbs, I might be with you on significant delay (in arrest), no criminal past, no offending alleged in the years since.
“But it’s such an enormous amount of cannabis... I don’t think I’m prepared to grant anything less than home detention bail.”
He remanded Mr Poulton in custody to a further bail hearing next month.
The 33-year-old worked for Definitive Air, an air conditioning company in SA, which was registered under the name Harley Dean Poulton from August 2014 to January 2018.
Mr Poulton attended Valleyview Secondary School in his youth.
Adam Hayter - Yankalilla
Mr Hayter is a husband and father of two from the Fleurieu Peninsula.
The 31-year-old worked as a truck driver, starting his own trucking company SBH Haulage in 2020, and was a leading hand for Mine Tech Engineering in Roxby Downs.
He is charged with three counts of trafficking in a commercial quantity of a controlled drug and one count of money laundering.
Mr Hayter was a cricketer in his youth, playing for Hope Valley Cricket Club in 2008-9.
Brad Sheehy – Salisbury
A Luke Combs fan, Brad Sheehy has been charged with 10 counts of drug trafficking, including large commercial drug trafficking.
He is the dad of a one-year-old baby.
According to his lawyer, Mr Sheehy is the sole provider for his family and works FIFO in civil mining and construction at Roxby Downs.
Stefan Gawlik – Torrens Park
Mr Gawlik, 34, is charged with multiple counts of drug trafficking, including large commercial drug trafficking.
Magistrate John Clover ordered a home detention report and adjourned the Torrens Park man’s application until next week.
Kiera Lee Scott – Royal Park
Kiera Lee Scott, 35, was born in Broken Hill and previously lived in Paralowie.
She is charged with multiple counts of drug trafficking.
Ms Scott previously worked as a travel agent and won awards for her work in this industry.
Steven Bell – Forestville
Originally from Macclesfield, Steven Bell attended Mount Barker High School.
Mr Bell, 35, allegedly made references to “O’s” and “balls”, attached with prices “consistent with that of meth”, prosecutors allege.
He is yet to plead to nine counts of drug trafficking.
Mr Bell was remanded in custody until next week, when he will find out the outcome of a home detention inquiry report.
Amanda McPherson – McLaren Vale
Mum-of-two Amanda McPherson has experience as a hairdresser.
The 37-year-old has been charged with four counts of trafficking a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug and two counts of money laundering.
Ms McPherson has been remanded in custody and will return to court next week.
Rhys Mundy - Hallett Cove
Known as Dingo, Mr Mundy was vice captain at the Christies Beach Football Club.
The 35-year-old from Hallett Cove is charged with one count of trafficking in a commercial quantity of a controlled drug.
Prosecutors opposed bail, alleging he used AN0M to purchase illicit substances to on-sell.
They said he purchased 1kg of cocaine from a drug syndicate for $300,000 between September and October 2020.
Mr Mundy’s counsel said he had no relevant criminal history and partial care of his son, who has a “significant” and chronic lung disease.
Magistrate Ben Sale released Mr Mundy on $5000 bail to face court again next month.
However, prosecutors said they would appeal that decision, and Mr Mundy was remanded in custody pending that hearing.
Alisha Joyleen Bennett - Gawler South
The mum-of-two has more than nine years experience as a lash technician.
She runs her own business in Gawler South called Lashes by Alisha, and was a finalist for SA Top Lash Tech in 2024.
Ms Bennett, 36, had a home detention report ordered for her and the application was adjourned until next week.
The Gawler South woman is facing 11 counts of drug trafficking, including large commercial drug trafficking.
Michael Dinning - Evanston
Mr Dinning, 41, is yet to plead to two counts of commercial drug trafficking and one count of trafficking a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug.
The Evanston man was ordered a home detention inquiry report, and was remanded in custody to return to court next week.
Terry Bunker - Angle Vale
In 2022, Mr Bunker lost his holiday home in Morgan to floodwaters.
The 43-year-old from Angle Vale, is charged with six counts of trafficking in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug.
He is further charged with one count of knowingly engaging in money laundering.
Magistrate Ben Sale ordered a home detention bail report and remanded him in custody until next month.
Graham Hampton - Broadview
Former SANFL footballer Graham Hampton, 29, has been charged with multiple counts of large commercial drug trafficking.
Mr Hampton, who is from Alice Springs and went to Immanuel College, played a total 40 games for West Adelaide Football Club between 2013 and 2016, scoring a total 22 games and earning best player in nine matches.
He has played 186 total football games in his career, which started in 2010. Most have been in regional football leagues in South Australia, with a one game appearance for the Balranald Football Club.
This year, Mr Hampton played 11 matches for Jervois Football Club in the River Murray Football League, while for the last three years he’s played for Gepps Cross in the Adelaide Footy League. Between 2017 and 2021 he also played 51 games for Border Districts in the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League.
A prosecutor said on Thursday they weren’t opposed to home detention bail for him if a report was favourable, with the court hearing Mr Hampton was the “junior” member of an alleged partnership.
“Mr Hampton was effectively operating at the direction of the co-accused,” the prosecutor said.
Magistrate John Clover ordered a report and adjourned the application until next week.
Damien Niesche - Happy Valley
Mr Niesche, 50, applied for home detention bail, which a prosecutor said they were opposed to.
The court heard Mr Niesche, of Happy Valley, is charged with 10 counts of drug trafficking, mostly involving cannabis.
Magistrate Ben Sale ordered a report and adjourned the application until next month.
Mr Niesche has been the owner of Old Reynella cafe and takeaway business Esculent since 2015.
The 50-year-old is also involved with the Gillman Speedway racing sidecars. In 2023, he competed in the Sidecar Centurions Trophy at North Brisbane Speedway.
Mr Niesche also made appearances in the Sidecar World Championship in 2016, 2018 and 2019, and placed second in the 2020/21 Oceania Championship.
Pasquale Lagana
Thirty-three-year-old Pasquale Lagana, a former restaurant owner and spray painter, was charged with two separate sets of alleged offending.
The first – 10 counts of trafficking in a controlled drug – is alleged to have occurred between January and May 2021.
It is further alleged that offending is connected to six other defendants arrested during the October 29 sting operation, who were allegedly acting as “a drug syndicate”.
The second – five counts of the same offence – is alleged to have occurred between February and April 2020.
Born in Adelaide, Mr Lagana completed year 12 at private school St Michael’s College. He now runs a cleaning business and is married to a nurse.
Magistrate Ben Sale ordered a home detention bail report in court on Thursday and remanded Mr Lagana in custody until next month.
