Jaemie Little, Michael Torino sentenced for cocaine supply

A drug courier involved in a scheme described as the ‘Deliveroo of cocaine’ was using daily and beset by relationship breakdowns when she was lured into the criminal group.

A teen drug courier involved in a scheme described as “the Deliveroo of cocaine” has narrowly avoided full time jail as a court heard how addiction and relationship breakdowns had up-ended her life at a tender age.

Jaemie Little, 21, pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine on more than three separate occasions within 30 days, dealing with crime proceeds and participating in a criminal group after police cracked open a syndicate supplying cocaine across Sydney’s suburbs.

The court heard Little was just 19 when she became involved in the syndicate, for whom she was a courier.

When police arrested her on December 6 2019, Little had “50 small plastic bags of cocaine” containing 33g of cocaine in total, which were sold for $250 each.

Jaemie Little leaving the Downing Centre Courthouse in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

Agreed police facts tendered to Sydney District Court indicate customers would order cocaine by text on a phone run by syndicate boss Jacqueline Naous, and Little and co-accused Taliameaatoa Tilifi acted as couriers.

Third co-accused Michael Torino – who was sentenced alongside Little by Judge Ian McClintock on December 2 – was said to be a warehouser who would store the cocaine and occasionally deliver orders himself.

The court heard Little – who had previously been sentenced to court orders without conviction for drug possession and drug driving – attributed her offending to her limited income.

Little’s counsel told the court she had been living out of home since the tender age of 16 due to family difficulties, had at one point lived in a refuge, and had needed the money to feed her former daily drug habit.

“She doesn’t want anything to do with the people she previously took drugs with,” Little’s lawyer told the court.

“She (was), on a characterisation, simply a courier.”

Jaemie Little leaving the Downing Centre Courthouse in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

Judge McClintock accepted Little had significantly rehabilitated herself and sentenced her to an 18-month intensive corrections order with a requirement to undergo drug and alcohol rehabilitation and psychological counselling.

The court also ordered Little to forfeit $2740 in crime proceeds and a Hyundai Tucson also classified as property proceeds of crime.

Torino pleaded guilty to four cocaine supply charges, participating in a criminal group and dealing with crime proceeds and was sentenced to a three-year intensive corrections order with the same conditions for drug and alcohol rehabilitation and counselling.

He will also have to complete 200 hours of community service and forfeit $2550 and four mobile phones in crime proceeds.

Michael Torino leaving the Downing Centre, Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

Detectives found 111.5g of cocaine in Torino’s house during a search warrant.

“Torino’s role in the enterprise was a combination of warehousing, supplying product to drivers and finally as a delivery driver,” his counsel told the court.

“His role in the syndicate was clearly above that of Ms Little and Mr Tilifi … but perhaps slightly below that of Ms Naous.”

The court heard Torino now has a full-time job and is studying a TAFE qualification in an effort to turn his life around after drug use and infidelity nearly destroyed his 11-year relationship.

Torino’s counsel told the court he had also struggled with his mental health months before his arrest, and had also been a daily cocaine user when he became involved with the syndicate.

Jacqueline Naous (left) and Taliameaatoa Tilifi.

Naous was sentenced to a two-year intensive corrections order after she pleaded guilty to two counts of ongoing drug supply in relation to her direction of the syndicate, through which she orchestrated some 300 drug deals.

Tilifi was sentenced to a three-year intensive corrections order for two drug supply charges and one count of participating in a criminal group.