An American woman facing sentencing after trying to smuggle a 24-carat gold-plated gun worth $2,000 into Australia is working on a music album, a court has been told.
Liliana Goodson, 29, appeared at Downing Center Local Court on Friday after pleading guilty to two counts of knowingly importing prohibited goods, namely firearms and ammunition.
Goodson had initially fought the charges at a special hearing, where he was told he had come to Australia to “get into clown school” and Googled that it was “ok” to bring the gun.
The Floridian did not declare the weapon on her arrival card, and Australian Border Force officers discovered the Colt-45-style pistol in her luggage while she was passing through the X-ray machine.
During submissions, Ms Goodson’s lawyer said she had relied on synthetic cannabis to self-medicate for past traumas and that it was in that state of mind that she decided to pack the gun.
‘He puts the gun in the suitcase while he has that state of paranoia in his mind; the abandonment of her animals (pet dogs), the abandonment of herself,’ her lawyer told the court.
“He says he came to Australia because he thought it was a safe place, but he also packed the gun for his own safety and to protect himself… even though the bullets were for a different gun.”
Now clean, her lawyer added: ‘She is working on an album and has produced 12 songs. It is that creative side that is coming out again now that he is no longer using synthetic cannabis.”
Liliana Goodson, 29 (pictured), appeared in court on Friday after pleading guilty to two counts of importing a firearm and ammunition.
The police prosecutor agreed that “the trauma underpinned Goodson’s need to feel protected” but disputed claims she made to the ABF that she had forgotten the gun was in her luggage.
During interview, Goodson later admitted to having planned to keep the gun under the seat of his car as he had done in the US and had cooperated with police during the investigation.
The matter was due to proceed to sentencing on Friday, but was postponed after Goodson’s attorney asked for a continuance so his client could undergo a drug test to prove his sobriety.
The American-Peruvian has been stranded in Australia since charges were laid in April 2023, and told the court on numerous occasions that she had been sleeping rough, including on trains.
The video was played during the special hearing earlier this year of his initial interview with police.
When asked about the gun, Goodson said it “wasn’t even in the back of my mind.”
“I had very little life experience…so a lot of things that are common sense to some people aren’t common sense to me,” he said.
“It crossed my mind that something might happen.”
Australian Border Force officers discovered the Colt-45 style pistol (pictured) in his luggage.
Goodson claimed to have little knowledge of Australian firearms laws, but believed that once here he could apply for a firearms permit and said he had one for self-defence.
“I’m going to be honest, I’m afraid to shoot (the gun), but in Los Angeles, if you just brandish a gun, people will scatter,” she said.
“I’d probably just use a pistol whip until I got back into training.”
Goodson, when arrested, said “it was a silly mistake and there was no intent to harm” and previously admitted to having a “cat spine, squirrel paws and rabbit urine” in her purse.
He will return to court for sentencing next month.