CHIBA, Japan — A Japanese court has sentenced an Australian woman to six years in prison after she claimed she was deceived into bringing illegal drugs into the country. The court acknowledged her assertion of being a victim of an online romance scam while still finding her guilty of violating local stimulant control and customs regulations.

Donna Nelson, a 58-year-old from Perth, was also ordered to pay a fine of 1 million yen, approximately $6,671, alongside her imprisonment. She was apprehended on January 3, 2023, at Narita International Airport located near Tokyo when customs officers discovered around 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of phenylaminopropane, a prohibited stimulant, concealed in her checked luggage.

During proceedings, Nelson expressed that she was unaware of the drugs hidden in her suitcase and claimed she was transporting them for a man she believed she loved and intended to marry. The individual she met online back in 2020 described himself as a Nigerian fashion business owner. As per her legal representatives, he had arranged to travel to Japan via Laos and asked Nelson to collect dress samples from a known contact there.

Nelson was supposed to rendezvous with the man in Japan; however, he failed to appear, according to the prosecutors. Having already spent nearly two years in detention, the court indicated that 430 days would be credited towards her sentence.

Judge Masakazu Kamakura acknowledged that even though Nelson had been misled, she harbored doubts regarding the legitimacy of her arrangement and could have taken action to prevent the situation. Nonetheless, the judge expressed some sympathy, resulting in a sentence that was shorter than what is generally imposed for similar drug offenses.

Prosecutors previously sought a harsher penalty of 10 years in prison along with a fine of three million yen (close to $20,000) during their final arguments last month. Nelson’s attorney, Rie Nishida, criticized the ruling as unreasonable and indicated intentions to file an appeal.

Upon hearing the verdict, Nelson visibly broke down in tears, her head bowed as she awaited the judges’ decision. Her daughter, Kristal Hilaire, was also spotted shedding tears from the audience. Other family members who had traveled to support Nelson returned home prior to the verdict, having seen her for the first time since her arrest nearly two years ago.