Cassie Sainsbury: ‘plea deal’ reached for cocaine smuggling charge

ACCUSED drug smuggler Cassie Sainsbury may serve as little as three years in jail after entering a plea bargain with Colombian police.

Details of Ms Sainsbury’s deal are due to be released later today when a court considers whether or not to accept it.

The 22-year-old South Australian is accused of smuggling 5.8kg of cocaine hidden inside 18 headphone cases at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota last month.

Her lawyers say they are still working on presenting her case.

But court authorities have confirmed a deal has been done.

“There is a deal between Fiscalia (prosecution) and the prisoner which will be made public tomorrow,” a spokesman said.

A plea deal means Ms Sainsbury should avoid the maximum sentence of more than 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors had reportedly been demanding Ms Sainsbury reveal the identities of others involved in her smuggling scheme. But her lawyers have expressed fears such revelations could endanger her life.

Source: Cassie Sainsbury: ‘plea deal’ reached for cocaine smuggling charge | Perth Now