ROBERT SCOTT Eli, 42, of Prince Rupert, pleaded guilty and was sentenced on assault and weapons charges in Terrace Provincial Court today, July 6.
In the early morning hours on Wednesday, July 4th, Lisims/Nass Valley RCMP responded to a complaint that Eli, drunk and high on cocaine, threatened a New Aiyansh man with a knife, holding it to his throat in his residence on Wright Blvd.
That same morning, Eli assaulted a female by throwing a cooler at her when she refused him entry to her residence.
RCMP officers scoured the village in search of Eli, who had taken refuge in a residence on Trinity Drive.
Residents alerted police to his whereabouts and he was arrested later that day without incident.
He was held in custody for court appearance July 6.
On August 1st , 2009, Eli was charged with aggravated assault stemming from an event on Tait Avenue, New Aiyansh, where a man was seriously injured.
This matter was scheduled for trial on September 5th in New Aiyansh.
As a result of this charge, Eli was on conditions not to consume alcohol or drugs and keep the peace when he was arrested this week.
Eli pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing bodily harm for the 2009 event and two counts of assault with a weapon from these most recent events.
He also pleaded guilty to one count of breaching his conditions.
As a result of the guilty pleas, he was sentenced to six months in jail and will be bound by a probation order for year upon his release.
Another unrelated charge of assault was stayed in court for the guilty plea.
"Both of these investigations relied [on] the cooperation and courage of village residents to assist the police in securing evidence. Without the public's help in both cases, this offender might still be on our streets. As soon as Eli was located in the village, we received phone calls which eventually led to his safe arrest. These efforts do not go unnoticed by our officers," said Lisims/Nass Valley RCMP Detachment commander Sgt. Donovan Tait.