Rylie Michael Taylor Kulai appeared to use one of his children's backpacks to store a loaded handgun and drug paraphernalia. (NanaimoNewsNOW file photo /Nanaimo RCMP)

By Ian Holmes

shocking incident

Loaded handgun, drugs & young children found in backseat during Nanaimo traffic stop

Jul 18, 2024 | 4:12 PM

NANAIMO —A concerned passerby phoned Nanaimo RCMP with an invaluable tip after spotting three adults “shooting up drugs” in the parking lot of a Departure Bay apartment complex.

Several minutes later a Nanaimo RCMP officer made a shocking discovery after pulling a vehicle over a few kilometres away.

A highly disturbing Thursday, July 18 sentencing hearing heard the conduct of 27-year-old Rylie Michael Taylor Kulai, who was sitting in the passenger seat with what appeared to be one of his children’s backpacks containing a prohibited 45-caliber revolver with six rounds inside the cylinder.

“It’s extraordinarily serious. Mr. Kulai at the time did not have a criminal record, but still we’re suggesting a significant jail sentence,” the Crown’s Leanne Mascolo told court while outlining an agreed statement of facts.

Kulai’s partner and mother of the children, Alisha Morley, was in the driver’s seat.

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Court was told their two children, then seven and two years old, were in the backseat at the time.

The Ministry of Children and Family Development was alerted and remains involved.

“His moral blameworthiness for the firearm offence is very high,” judge Tamara Hodge said as she looked toward Kulai as he sat in the prisoner’s box.

The responding officer happened to be near the apartment in the city’s Departure Bay neighbourhood on the evening of May 27, 2023, when the report from the concerned citizen came in.

The officer followed the vehicle to St. George St. near Terminal Park Shopping Centre.

Loose bullet rounds and drug paraphernalia were also found in the Super Mario Bros. backpack and throughout the vehicle.

Another backpack in the footwell of the front passenger seat was determined to belong to the third adult in the vehicle, with Mascolo noting the woman initially gave a false name to police.

That backpack also contained ammunition and items associated with drug use.

Kulai was handed a two-and-a-half-year jail sentence. Due to pre-trial credit, Kulai has a further 600 days to serve.

He also pleaded guilty to driving while prohibited, possessing ammunition in relation to a separate offence, and breaching release conditions.

Kulai did not address the court.

He’s been held for the past several months at Nanaimo Correctional Centre.

Born and raised in Nanaimo, Kulai has a grade 11 education and worked several years as a roofer, said defence attorney Bobby Movasaghi.

He said life for Kulai went downhill after he was stabbed two-and-a-half years ago, leading to arm and leg nerve damage.

Anxiety, depression and drug use then followed.

Movasaghi said Kulai told him that at the time of his offending he was a drug addict and nothing was going well.

“It doesn’t justify it, it doesn’t excuse it, but it’s the reality of his situation.”

Movasaghi said Kulai is sober and alert as he accesses programs while in jail.

Kulai intends to reside in Nanaimo with his mother and grandmother upon release.

“He will obviously have a long road ahead of him.”

Kulai won’t be subject to probation since he received what amounts to a federal sentence of more than two years.

He was issued a lifetime firearms ban, forfeiture order of valuables associated with his offences, and a one-year driving ban to take effect once he’s released.

Five charges were dropped in exchange for his guilty pleas.

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