Deyonna Bonner fronts court over cocaine importation

The offer of a $10,000 payment convinced a financially-struggling mum to smuggle cocaine into Australia.

A financially stricken drug mule who agreed to smuggle cocaine into Australia from the US in return for $10,000 has been sentenced to at least two years and four months in jail.

Deyonna Bonner was allegedly offered the money by her partner’s uncle and the alleged ringleader who consumed cannabis and mushrooms with her and her boyfriend in the US, the County Court heard during her sentencing on Wednesday.

Bonner was among four US nationals arrested at Melbourne Airport between April 12 and 16, 2024 and charged with importing about 30kg of cocaine concealed inside their luggage.

She has agreed to testify against the alleged ringleader, Edward Armstead, whose case and that of two women are before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.

Bonner, 23, pleaded guilty to one charge of importing cocaine and was sentenced to a maximum of six years and six months in jail.

Judge Carolene Gwynn said Bonner agreed to smuggle cocaine due to her financial struggles.

Her illegal actions forced her mother to quit her job in the US in order to care for Bonner’s daughter, the judge said.

One of four American citizens arrested for allegedly attempting to import cocaine into Melbourne.

“If anything, this has hopefully been a salutary lesson to you about the impact of your offending has had on others besides yourself, and the obvious potential harm to the Australian community,” she said.

Judge Gwynn said Mr Armstead allegedly visited the house Bonner and her partner lived in to consume cannabis and mushrooms.

It was in that context that Bonner told investigators Mr Armstead asked her if she was “Ready to go fly”, meaning the smuggling of cocaine.

She said crucial information Bonner gave to authorities resulted in Mr Armstead’s arrest before he was able to leave Australia.

“While you were not set to be aware of the exact amount you were importing, the amount you were to be paid and the weight of the two suitcases each of which contained cocaine would have at least given you some indication that it was not an insubstantial amount,” she said.

On April 9, 2024 Bonner travelled to Los Angeles where she met allegedly Mr Armstead in a hotel before flying to Melbourne.

Blocks of cocaine Australian Border Force seized from four alleged international drug couriers, including Deyonna Bonner, upon their arrival at Melbourne Airport.

When asked why she was at a carousel area at Melbourne Airport when she told Australian Border Force officials that she didn’t have any checked-in baggage, Bonner said that she was trying to find a friend that she met on the plane named “Jay”.

Two suitcases that she checked in were found to contain four rectangular shrink-wrapped blocks that weighed 5.8kg which tested positive for cocaine.

She told the Australian Federal Police that Mr Armstead offered to pay for her vacation to Australia to relax and enjoy spring break.

Four alleged international drug couriers from the US, including Deyonna Bonner, attempted to import about 30kg of cocaine into Melbourne.

She said the suitcases had nothing to do with her and she didn’t know they contained cocaine.

“I really did not know – like, I really did not know. I swear, I didn’t know. I’m, I’m a mum. I really thought this was just like a cool laid-back, you know, type vacation”.