Danielle Follett admits to role in Wellington drug syndicate

The role a devoted girlfriend played in a major regional NSW criminal syndicate and her intercepted conversations with others can be revealed for the first time after she pleaded guilty in court.

A Wellington mother of three has fessed up to her role in a drug syndicate which her boyfriend and the father of her children was allegedly in charge of.

Danielle Louise Follett, 32, pleaded guilty to drug supply, criminal group participation and assist in conducting drug premises charges when she appeared in Dubbo Local Court on Thursday.

Wellington drug dealer Danielle Follett pleaded guilty to multiple charges in Dubbo Local Court after Strike Force Pinnacle police dismantled a drug syndicate her partner Kyle Thompson was allegedly in charge of. Picture: Facebook/Dan Follett

According to a statement of agreed facts tendered in court, Follett was the partner of Wellington man Kyle Anthony Thompson, the alleged kingpin of a drug syndicate which became the focus of police Strike Force Pinnacle investigators in February 2019.

After months of monitoring the couple’s activities, police concluded that Follett directed junkies to people so they could be supplied with drugs, packaged drugs after being directed to by others and knowingly allowed Mr Thompson to use her bank account to receive cash for his drug supplies.

Follett allowed her home on Marsh Street in Wellington to be used in Mr Thompson’s criminal enterprise, the agreed facts document stated.

Kyle Anthony Thompson has been charged with dozens of offences and is accused of running a Wellington drug syndicate that was smashed as part of Strike Force Pinnacle. Picture: Facebook

In January 2020, police were able to pin Follett for drug supply after phone calls between her and a woman named Barbara were intercepted.

During one of the calls Follett agreed to wrap 20 “things up”, which was a coded reference to buprenorphine strips.

In another call Follett said to Barbara: “I put in the mailbox … I didn’t have anyone to help but (sic) in the balloons and I have long nails and kept splitting them lol but they are all wrapped it just needs to go in the balloon”.

Later on in January 2020, police intercepted a call where Follett agreed to place 50 bupe strips into a package at the direction of a person named Xanthe.

The agreed facts document states that on March 17, 2020, Kyle Thompson’s brother Brad Thompson contacted Follett to ask her if she could access 50 bupe strips.

She said she could and knew the strips were to be delivered to the Wellington jail.

Wellington man Brad Thompson contacted Danielle Follett to ask about bupe strips. Picture: Facebook/Brianna Lee Meizer

On April 2, 2020 police raided Follett’s home and located mobile phones, drug paraphernalia, scales, a safe, resealable bags and cash.

When police raided Follett’s home again on May 27, 2020, she was found in the front bedroom and later paraded outside the home after her arrest in front of cameras belonging to television media.

Follett was initially charged with dozens of offences, including the alleged supply of ice and cocaine.

Those charges were withdrawn and Follett was cleared of any wrongdoing apart from supplying the bupe, participating in the criminal group and assisting in conducting the drug premises.

After accepting Follett’s three guilty pleas, Magistrate Gary Wilson ordered that a sentencing assessment report be prepared.

Follett is due to be sentenced on December 22.