Samarra Pearce escapes jail time following Honeysuckle drug bust earlier this year

A former bar manager was caught up in a major drug bust by police earlier this year before being charged with drug possession and dealing with the proceeds of crime. She has been sentenced. 

A Hunter mother caught up in a drug bust earlier this year has escaped jail time.

Samarra Pearce, 34, was arrested by Strike Force Hanging on April 14, a day after a search of the Honeysuckle apartment she was staying at.

Police earlier alleged the former bar manager was home when they located 14 grams of methylamphetamine – or ice – in the microwave.

Samarra Pearce leaves Newcastle Court House. Picture: Emily Burley.

They further alleged more than $250,000 cash was found between Pearce’s handbag and a book safe.

Investigators also located eight milligrams of prescription opioid buprenorphine on her.

Pearce pleaded guilty to a charge of dealing with proceeds of crime for more than $10,000 found in her handbag and two counts of drug possession.

A drug supply charge and another charge of dealing with the proceeds of crime were dropped.

Last week she was sentenced to a 14-month intensive corrections order (ICO), a jail sentence which is served within the community, and ordered to do 150 hours of community service work and repay $10,000 to Service NSW, which relates to a claim for a Covid support grant.

She was also fined $400 for one drug possession charge, while the other had no penalty imposed.

The main resident of the Honeysuckle property, a 36-year-old man, was not home at the time of the raid but was later charged with 80 drug-related offences including supply and ongoing supply.

He has not entered any pleas and will next appear in Newcastle Local Court in December.