Kellyenne Males, 40, applies for bail charged over cannabis, cocaine, speed and meth drug trafficking operation
A Bendigo mum of five with an “expensive” drug habit was allegedly busted trafficking large amounts of narcotics out of her family home to fund her lifestyle.
Bendigo
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A Bendigo mum of five accused of trafficking large amounts of narcotics out of her family home with her brother fears for her kids’ safety after dangerous men came to her house allegedly chasing drug debts.
Kellyenne Wilson, 40, made her second bid for bail on Thursday in the Supreme Court after she was charged with the commercial trafficking of cannabis and amphetamine.
Following a police investigation and several raids, Ms Males, who was on Centrelink payments at the time, was alleged to have trafficked cocaine, meth, ecstasy and speed between January 2021 and July 2024.
Police allege phone records uncovered in a raid reveal Ms Males trafficked a total of 100kg of cannabis, 49g of cocaine, 510g of amphetamines and 8.7g of methamphetamine over a three-and-a-half-year period at a total street value of about $587,000 – although police suspect the total profits could have exceeded $1m, the court previously heard.
Police allege Ms Males used the drug dealing profits to fund her lifestyle, buying a commercial grade trampoline for her kids and funding a house renovation.
Police allege Ms Males would organise for people to come and pick up drugs from the family home where her five children lived, or she and her brother Tony Males, 43 of Long Gully, would allegedly deliver the drugs.
The court heard Mr Males had been released on bail to a Bendigo address, and now his sister was making her second attempt after failing twice in the Magistrates’ Court.
Ms Males’ barrister James McQuillan told the court the accused drug dealer should be released on bail to care for her five children living at home.
The court heard Ms Males feared for her children’s safety after dangerous men had come around to her house and allegedly intimidated her for money over drug debts, and she wished to move them to a new location.
Ms Males’ partner, who made “good money” in the construction industry, offered up a $150,000 bail surety to get her out of jail.
Mr McQuillan said the prosecution case relied solely on text messages allegedly seized during police raids, arguing police had no surveillance evidence of Ms Males ever completing a drug deal.
Police allege a warrant to search Ms Males’ bank records revealed transactions totalling $300,000 over the last 12 months in one of her accounts, with amounts between $1000 and $5000 paid to her suspected to be proceeds of drug deals.
Police opposed bail, arguing Ms Males would immediately start selling drugs again to pay for her lifestyle and pay drug debts and having her kids present at home allegedly hadn’t stopped her before.
Police allege Ms Males had breached her bail previously by trafficking drugs, allegedly seizing large amounts of drugs during raids, including 496g of cannabis in a bowl in the kitchen, meth and MDMA pills where her kids could easily reach them.
The prosecution argued Ms Males’ alleged drug dealing was “blatant” and “arrogant” and she would likely continue to traffic drugs if released on bail, allegedly having done so while on bail twice in July.
Police alleged Ms Males had endangered her children by “trafficking huge quantities of drugs” out of her family home, and allegedly would regularly leave her children unsupervised with narcotics in the house while she went to nightclubs in Bendigo to try and deal drugs.
The defence argued the risk of Ms Males reoffending on bail could be mitigated by a GPS tracking device being affixed to her at all times that would “instantly” alert police if she breached her curfew or attended any banned locations.
The prosecution argued the accused drug dealer would find a work around.
Justice Rita Incerti said it was “troubling” Ms Males’ children had been present during the alleged offending, and had been exposed to the dangers of the drug world.
Justice Incerti said Ms Males had a “red hot problem” of a “fairly expensive” drug habit, making her a risk of reoffending.
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Justice Incerti told Ms Males that the community took a “firm view” of people who make money by “ruining and destroying people’s lives” with drugs.
Ms Males’ Aboriginality, and the separation of her children from their mother, was a major consideration in the bail application, Justice Incerti said, finding that her children “need” their mother.
“Your kids need you now, it’s time to go home for Christmas,” Justice Incerti said.
Justice Incerti granted her bail, requiring that she attend drug rehab, but not requiring her partner front the $150,000, finding that could put Ms Males’ kids at risk of losing their home.
Ms Males will return to court in January as her case heads towards trial in the County Court.
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