NANAIMO — Barely an adult, a young man’s life spiralled out of control late in 2023.
An aggravated assault conviction for a drug-related attack in Campbell River led to a nine-year prison sentence, followed by a bizarre series of events in Nanaimo on the evening of Dec. 13, 2023.
Leonardo Rosales, 21, was handed 18 months of new jail time on top of an existing lengthy sentence following a Friday, Nov. 6, sentencing hearing at Nanaimo Law Courts.
Rosales was caught with illicit drugs stuffed in his rectum following a combative altercation with Nanaimo RCMP in the city’s downtown.
Federal crown prosecutor, Chris Gibson, outlined the unusual facts during a sentencing hearing in response to Rosales pleading guilty to charges of drug trafficking and escaping lawful custody.
Rosales was the passenger and the youth driving a car when a quick stop and apparent drug transaction transpired at Port Place Shopping Centre’s parking lot off Terminal Ave.
A pair of Nanaimo Mounties, operating on knowledge the Chrysler Sebring was associated with drug trafficking, activated their emergency lights and followed the vehicle to the mall’s rooftop parking lot and forced the vehicle to stop.
Police had their pistols drawn.
The youth driver was compliant, but Rosales was not.
“The officer was very concerned that Mr. Rosales was trying to access a weapon. He could see that he was putting his hands into the front of his pants and appeared to be reaching for something and may have been putting something into his body,” Gibson said.
With Rosales on his phone potentially messaging somebody, an officer used his baton to shatter a window to access him and preserve evidence.
Rosales was grabbing onto the officer’s hands, who responded by punching Rosales several times in the head.
The offender was eventually pulled from the car yelling and screaming.
He was handcuffed and read his rights.
Minutes later at Nanaimo RCMP cells, police could see drugs sticking out of Rosales’ anus during a strip search, with the offender refusing a request for removal.
Concerned about Rosales’ imminent health, police then took him to the hospital.
Police were in for another twist in their odyssey with Rosales, as the Crown’s Gibson explained.
“They started walking towards the emergency door, the officer let go of Mr. Rosales for a moment, and in that moment Mr. Rosales sprinted away from the officer still in handcuffs.”
Rosales bolted from the hospital, running toward Boundary Ave.
The trailing Mountie was assisted by a Good Samaritan who drove the officer toward Rosales.
“He arrested him, took him back to the hospital. The items in his rectum were removed,” Gibson told court.
Rosales had over 12 grams of illicit drugs split between fentanyl and cocaine, with an estimated street value of nearly $1,200.
The fentanyl was mixed with benzodiazepine.
Samples of the fentanyl’s purity were between 12 and 15 per cent.
Gibson said Rosales’ offending represented street-level drug trafficking.
Paul Dutt, defence attorney, told court his client’s childhood in Burnaby was difficult.
Rosales struggled due to the separation of his parents at a young age, Dutt relayed.
Rosales later became involved in the criminal lifestyle on Vancouver Island, including Campbell River and the Comox Valley, Dutt told court.
Rosales had plans to work in Nanaimo’s construction industry.
“Unfortunately, that did not pan out, and he met individuals with the lure of fast money, and those types of things put him in this situation in the drug trade.”
Dutt said Rosales has shown insight into his behaviour, including showing significant remorse for trafficking fentanyl given how deadly the substance is.
Provincial court judge, Chris Churchill accepted a joint sentencing recommendation.
Rosales attended the hearing via video feed from prison.
Three charges were stayed in forming Rosles’ plea agreement.
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