A FORMER Instagram model who was previously imprisoned for a slew of crimes is again behind bars after her drug addiction spiraled out of control.
Mum-of-one Monique Agostino, 28, was sentenced to nine months in jail with a five-month non-parole period barely three years after serving time in one of Australia’s most solitary confinement facilities.
The ex-model pleaded guilty in Sydney’s Sutherland Local Court to possessing someone else’s ID to commit fraud, larceny, drug possession, drug driving, possessing items suspected of being stolen, and driving an unregistered, uninsured automobile while banned.
According to news.com.au, police had 15 warrants out for Agostino’s arrest in the previous four years.
Agostino was sentenced to two years at Silverwater Women’s Correctional Centre in September 2020, her second time behind bars.
The model, who had previously worked as a real estate agent, pled guilty to a string of masked robberies with juveniles, drug offenses, and carrying a weapon in Target.
The mother had thousands of Instagram followers, where she frequently posted images of herself in bikinis.
In 2018, she became a getaway driver for a gang of young lads who stole an Italian restaurant and attempted to break into a fruit shop and café.
She was later detained on suspicion of a number of additional offenses, including credit card fraud, knife possession, and drug possession.
While serving his sentence, Agostino filed an appeal and was freed on bail.
She was stopped by cops before her appeal was heard because she had violated her release terms.
However, the appeal was denied since she did not appear in court on the scheduled day.
On Thursday, the court heard that her drug usage spiraled out of control when she lost her license to operate as a real estate agent.
Agostino, according to her lawyer, has “lots of potential” and is enrolled in an online e-commerce course.
He said: “She’s relatively young… although she’s clocked up a lot of miles in life in many ways.
“If you speak to her directly, you’d be impressed. She’s an intelligent individual who has used her abilities for criminal (reasons) instead of constructive reasons… that’s not to say it will always be that way.”
Magistrate Hugh Donnelly said that according to Agostino’s psychological report, she was using amphetamines regularly up until her arrest and that her lawyer’s plans for a community-based sentence would not help her drug addiction.
He said: “More than 10 warrants have been executed since 2019,” noting she had a record of not showing up to court.
“She is a persistent offender when it comes to driving while disqualified — it’s at least the third time she’s come to court for that,” he added.
Her lawyer admitted her poor record showed a “determined thumbing of the nose at the law,” but said, “we’re all a work in progress”.
