An Ontario judge reduced a Black cocaine trafficker's six-year sentence for fentanyl and gun offenses by half, citing likely deportation.

Roosevelt Rush, 32, of Brampton, was found with 55 grams of cocaine in Belleville while out on bail in December 2022 for fentanyl trafficking and gun convictions. He was wearing a GPS monitor at the time.

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“This offence is significant, and his moral culpability is high. A proportionate sentence on these considerations alone would warrant a penitentiary sentence of 24 months,” Justice Robert Horton wrote in his decision.

Despite a six-year sentence and other mitigating factors including his guilty plea, remorse, young age, race, and likely deportation, Rush will receive an additional 12-month custody sentence.

Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, permanent residents or foreign nationals are inadmissible due to serious criminality if jailed for over six months. Rush, a permanent resident, came to Canada at 19.

“Mr. Rush is not a Canadian citizen and he is likely to be deported as a result of these offences. This is a significant collateral consequence,” Horton wrote in his decision, dated October 3.

The Crown sought a two-year jail sentence, while Roosevelt's lawyer argued for six months, less a day.

The judge stated that cocaine is a dangerous drug that harms individuals and society, and possessing crack cocaine for trafficking is a serious offense requiring deterrence and denunciation.

Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner announced a bill to simplify the deportation of foreign criminals, stating, "Becoming a Canadian is a privilege, not a right." It will be tabled when Parliament returns next month.https://t.co/tGxv3btNpz

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) August 14, 2025

The court acknowledged that Rush's financial difficulties stem from his identity as a Black man in Western society, citing systemic barriers and historically lower wages compared to white men.

Rush, a former forklift operator, lost his job during the pandemic. He then drove for Uber and delivered Ikea furniture, injuring his back. Unable to provide medical documentation, he lost that job too. Exhausting his options, Rush engaged in illicit activities for income, following the example of his peers.

The decision noted that Rush's criminal activities allowed him to pay bills, secure an apartment, provide extras like bikes for his children, and purchase a car for family mobility.

Rush has significant, ongoing family support, including from the mothers of his children. Many who love him attest to his kindness, devotion to his children, and strong work ethic.

"Carney has kept Justin Trudeau's out-of-control immigration numbers," says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, blasting the Liberals for losing track of foreign criminals and fuelling youth unemployment by still allowing high levels of temporary foreign workers. pic.twitter.com/9y3ViLSwDt

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) August 14, 2025

The judge described Rush as a “mid-level cocaine trafficker,” motivated solely by financial gain, not addiction.

Horton acknowledged that systemic and personal discrimination played a role in Rush's criminality as a Black man. The judge noted a "reasonable prospect" for his rehabilitation.

Raised in a crime-ridden area, Rush witnessed significant violence, including his uncle being stabbed at 12 and another uncle beaten to death in high school.

Rush lost two friends from Jamaica, one to a gunshot wound and the other to cancer. A Canadian friend was also murdered.