By Ian Holmes

Dealing fentanyl sends Parksville man to jail

Mar 21, 2019 | 2:10 PM

NANAIMO — A Parksville man whose life fell apart from drug addiction was sentenced to two years in jail for a pair of substantial heroin and fentanyl busts.

Joseph Charles Riera, 61, learned his fate earlier this month in provincial court in Nanaimo after he pleaded guilty to a pair of drug trafficking offences and a firearms charge.

The busts involved possession of a combined 80-gram mixture of heroin and fentanyl, court was told.

Riera had no prior criminal history and only appeared on the RCMP’s radar after a realtor noticed unusual activity at a home in a quiet Parksville subdivision off Hirst Ave.

During an agreed statement of facts, court was told police showed up at Riera’s home on Jan. 15, 2017 with a search warrant. The responding constable heard a man identified as Riera say “F*ck off, I don’t have any, I’m all out” in response to a knock on the door.

Making an impact

Nanaimo woman publishes books to open awareness of neurodiverse children

4h ago

iconic voice

Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole, a welcome voice for a half-century, dead at 90

11h ago

first response

New staffing model on Gabriola Island hires local paramedics for enhanced patient care

16h ago

Heroin and fentanyl were found in the home, along with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, rifle, ammo and drug paraphernalia.

Riera was arrested and later released on bail.

Oceanside RCMP investigated Riera again in November 2018. Police used judicial approval to apply a tracking device on Riera’s cell phone. Over the next two weeks Riera made five single-day trips between the Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay ferry terminals. On Dec. 1, 2018 Riera and another man were arrested and police found 40-grams of heroin and fentanyl, along with weapons on the co-accused.

A search warrant of the Errington home Riera and Dennis Quesnelle shared uncovered drug paraphernalia, a small amount of methamphetamine and a crossbow.

Quesnelle was charged with drug trafficking and his file is currently proceeding through the courts.

Stephen Taylor, Riera’s lawyer, told court his client’s addiction took off after he separated from his wife in 2016. Taylor said it was around that time Riera turned to opiate painkillers and later heroin after he experienced dental problems.

Court was told Riera was a law-abiding, employed citizen for most of his life.

Riera admitted to his offending in a lengthy statement to police and clearly stated he was tired of his lifestyle and wanted help.

Riera’s January sentencing hearing was bumped due to a lack of court time, triggering him to voluntarily remain in custody citing his addiction as uncontrollable.

Judge Ron Lamperson said danger caused by illicit fentanyl justifies significantly higher penalties than trafficking other hard drugs.

The BC Coroners Service reported 85 per cent of the 1,500 suspected overdose deaths in B.C. in 2018 involved fentanyl.

Court was told there was no evidence Riera was a mid-level drug trafficker.

Riera said he bought and sold drugs to cover the cost of his own addiction and he did not earn a profit.

The Crown suggested a 10-and-a-half year prison sentence, while the defence pushed for two years behind bars.

Riera was also handed three-years probation and a 10-year firearms ban.

Judge Lamperson recommended Riera serve his sentence at the Nanaimo Correctional Centre where he can participate in the renowned Guthrie House drug treatment program.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes