Man sentenced to four years on drug charges
By Lethbridge Herald on October 3, 2020.
Delon Shurtz
Lethbridge Herald
A Lethbridge man with a criminal record for drug-related offences, has been sent to prison on yet more drug charges stemming from several incidents earlier this year.
Kevin Paul Rabeau was sentenced Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court to just over four years in a federal penitentiary after he pleaded guilty to charges of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking, failure to comply with release conditions, resisting a peace officer, unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted weapon and possession of the proceeds of crime.
Last February police were looking for Rabeau, who was the subject of a Canada-wide warrant. Police, who suspected Rabeau was staying at a local hotel, began watching the hotel and learned which room he was staying in and obtained a search warrant.
When police entered the room, Rabeau was sitting on a chair in a corner of the room, and they caught him with 52 grams of methamphetamine divided into five Baggies, and 22.4 grams of fentanyl, divided into 10 Baggies. Also lying around the room were five cellphones, more than $7,000 in cash and a digital scale.
Rabeau was charged and released on bail with conditions he not possess any drugs, but on Aug. 10 police were again looking for him on outstanding warrants, and saw him and another man leaving a residence. Police followed the men to the Park Place Shopping Centre downtown and watched Rabeau, who was carrying a backpack, go into a bathroom.
Police arrested Rabeau on the warrants, and when they searched the backpack, it was empty. In the bathroom, however, they found Baggies containing 19 grams of methamphetamine and 22 grams of fentanyl hidden inside a toilet paper dispenser. They also seized Rabeau’s cellphone, which began ringing. Police answered it and spoke to individuals wanting to buy drugs.
Police had also dealt with Rabeau on July 27 after they were called to a northside restaurant to deal with a woman who was using drugs in the bathroom. The woman and Rabeau had ordered a meal, and Rabeau was sitting at a table when police arrived. Rabeau left the restaurant when he saw the police, and at first refused to stop when ordered by police. He later admitted he knew he had a curfew, but said he was waiting for a taxi to pick him up.
The officers, who were unfamiliar with Rabeau, were more concerned about the woman in the bathroom, and let Rabeau leave, but he left behind a backpack which contained multiple knives, a Taser and $10,000. A computer check revealed Rabeau was not only subject to a curfew, but a weapons prohibition, as well.
Three days later police were following up on the incident and saw Rabeau riding a bicycle on 9 Avenue South. He entered a residence on 12 B Street South, then come out and climbed into a taxi. He remained in the taxi with another passenger for a couple of minutes, then returned to the house.
Shortly afterward a black Mercedes pulled up to the house, Rabeau got in, and it drove around the block before dropping Rabeau off near the residence. Both times police suspected drugs were being sold.
The next time Rabeau left the residence, police told him he was under arrest, but he climbed on the bicycle and fled.
Rabeau, 37, was sentenced to 49 months in prison, but given credit for five months spent in pre-trial custody, reducing his sentence to 44 months.
Calgary lawyer Shaun Leochko told court Rabeau’s drug addiction led to the offences.
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