A grandmother who house sat a drug boss' home several times has shown a 'strong realisation' how drugs have affected the community of Wellington.
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Karon Joy Horan, 59, was arrested in July 2020, as part of Strike Force Pinnacle - a 14-month police operation investigating a large-scale drug supply network operating out of Wellington.
The undercover police operation dismantled the drug syndicate sourcing ice, heroin, cocaine and MDMA from Sydney and supplying it out of Wellington.
According to an agreed statement of facts tendered in Dubbo Local Court, Horan was monitored and recorded by police between July 2019 and May 2020.
Between November 2019 and May 2020, Horan was captured on eight police intercepted phone calls with her daughter and partner of the syndicate's kingpin, Danielle Follett and another member of the syndicate alerting them to the presence of police in Wellington.
Court documents said during these calls Horan also informed her daughter that police were pulling over people in the Wellington area, and alerted her that a police search was happening at another member of the syndicate's home.
In November 2019, Horan met with another convicted member of the syndicate Brendan Higgins, to give him money. In a phone tap from Horan's car, police said she could be heard counting up to '17' in Higgins' presence and handing over 11 'papers' to him.
On three occasions between November 2019 and February 2020 Horan was asked to house sit her daughter Danielle's home while she was away with her partner Kyle Thompson, and ensure no one could break-in.
On one occasion Horan acted as a direct contact between her daughters Danielle and Tara, when Tara wouldn't co-operate with the drug syndicate's leader Kyle.
In July 2020, Horan presented herself to Dubbo Police Station where she was placed under arrest.
In Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday, defence barrister Daniel Pace said Horan's involvement was limited and his client had no physical contact with the dealing of drugs.
The court heard Horan suffered from a number of physical impairments, but could undertake light duties under community service work.
Magistrate Gary Wilson said it was evident in the sentencing assessment report, Horan had a "strong realisation" to how the drug syndicate affected the community of Wellington.
"This whole Strike Force Pinnacle no doubt had a significant affect on the community, and has certainly placed Wellington in a very bad light unfortunately," he said.
"I accept that your involvement was very limited, and that you probably didn't have a huge knowledge of the extent of what was going on."
Horan was convicted and sentenced to an 18-month community corrections order, and ordered to undertake 150 hours of community service.