Cassie Sainsbury has reached a plea bargain deal with Colombian authorities in a bid to secure her freedom, prosecution authorities confirmed to The Australian.
The 22-year-old South Australian woman, who is accused of attempting to smuggle 5.8kg of cocaine out of Bogota airport in her luggage, has reportedly reached a pre-agreement with the Colombian Fiscalia, or attorney-general.
“There is a deal between Fiscalia (prosecution) and the prisoner which will be made public tomorrow,” a spokesman told the publication.
Ms Sainsbury is due to return to court for a hearing on Wednesday afternoon, Bogota time, where Senior Judge Sergio Leon will decide whether or not to accept the plea deal.
If accepted, Ms Sainsbury may serve less than three and a half years in prison.
Pictured are the 18 bags of cocaine found concealed within headphones in Cassie’s luggage. Image via 7 News.
Speaking with News Corp on the condition of anonymity, a Fiscalia source indicated that Ms Sainsbury had admitted to the authority’s version of events in order to secure the deal.
“Generally, pre-agreements are realised when the captured person accepts something of what the Fiscalia has accused them of, the benefit of which could be a reduction in penalty,” the source said in comments translated from Spanish.
“In the case of Cassie, they will only know in the hearing tomorrow what the agreement is.”
“At the end of the hearing, the judge will say whether or not he approves of the agreement.”
WATCH: Cassie Sainsbury is picture smiling from behind bars. Post continues…
The accused drug smuggler’s sister, Khala Sainsbury, told News Corp that she now fears reprisal attacks.
“She [Cassie] got told to be quiet otherwise they’d come after her family,” she said.
“My ultimate fear is bringing her home in a body bag.”
“I’m worried about my little sister. I never thought anything like this would happen in a million years.”
“I love her. I’ll always love her – she’s my sister.”
Cassie was planning a wedding next February to her fiancé Scott Broadbridge, 23.
Kahla also said the ordeal may have permanently sullied her sister’s reputation.
“It’s going to be hard for her to do anything,” Khala told Seven News.
“She’s always going to be labelled as ‘Cocaine Cassie’.”
Cassie, who worked as a personal trainer in Adelaide, was discovered with nearly six kilograms of cocaine packed into her suitcase as she tried to fly home to Australia on April 11 from El Dorado International Airport.
The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) contacted Colombian authorities after her plane ticket home to Australia via London was purchased last minute by an “unknown party” in Hong Kong.
More as we get it.
