Tony Palemia: MMA fighter sentenced on serious drug supply charge

An MMA fighter who was busted with almost 500g of meth in western Sydney has told a court the reasons he got involved in moving drugs.

Tony Palemia told a court he was a “drug courier” to pay off a debt when he was stopped in St Clair with almost 500g of meth.

A court has heard an MMA fighter who was caught by police with almost 450g of meth during a vehicle stop in St Clair was doing the job to pay off a drug debt.

Tony Moa Uati-Palemia, 27, of Blacktown, had pleaded guilty to supplying a prohibited drug at a commercial quantity in the local court over the incident in March.

According to court documents, police were conducting surveillance near Cassia Close and Garrick St in St Clair when they saw a black Mitsubishi ASX stop in front of a house on Cassia Close.

About 25 minutes later, police saw Uati-Palemia leave the garage of the house holding a plastic Coles shopping bag and sit in the rear seat of the driver’s side in the Mitsubishi.

The car was later stopped by police on Mamre Rd, St Clair, where Uati-Palemia and two other men were removed from the vehicle.

Tony Palemia on an Urban Fight Night flyer. Picture: Supplied

During a search, police found the Coles bag contained a “large amount” of a crystal substance, later found to be methylamphetamine.

He was later charged with supplying 446.52 grams of methylamphetamine.

Uati-Palemia gave evidence before Judge Ian Bourke at Penrith District Court, and said he had become a “junkie” after turning to ice following a break-up.

“I had a debt, they told me to do a job to wipe the debt,” he said.

“I had to pick something up and drop it off somewhere else, but I got done by police.”

Uati-Palemia has been in custody since March 7, and told Judge Bourke he hadn’t taken drugs since his arrest.

“I don’t want to be a junkie anymore,” he said.

His lawyer argued Uati-Palemia had only acted as a “courier” during the offending, and was acting for a limited financial gain.

Tony Palemia was jailed for four years after being caught with almost 500g of meth in St Clair in March this year. Picture: Facebook

“He was taking a package from point A to point B on behalf of someone else for a limited financial gain,” he said.

“The fact the quantity was towards the top end shouldn’t obscure what was his fairly limited role.”

Judge Bourke said the objective seriousness was below the mid-range, but said it “wasn’t appropriate for a non-custodial sentence to be imposed”.

“The offender’s role is that of a courier, however this does not mean his role wasn’t an important one,” he said.

“Drug businesses couldn’t operate without people willing to be couriers.”

Judge Bourke sentenced Uati-Palemia to four years in prison with a non-parole period of two years.

He will first be eligible for release in March, 2022.