A Canadian man identified as Jonathan Gallota, 35, who destroyed his ankle monitor and fled to Nicaragua, was deported back to Costa Rica, after being captured while attempting to leave that country on a private flight.
The Canadian had entered Costa Rica through the Juan Santamaría International – San Jose – Airport in July 2018, arriving from Canada. He was apprehended with two other Canadians on August 2, 2018, in Ciudad Colón, when they were traveling aboard a vehicle where police found 1,006 doses of methamphetamines and almost ¢7 million colones in cash.
Gallota was imprisoned for 8 months for drug trafficking; however, was granted freedom while wearing an ankle monitoring device after requesting a change in preventive measures
After several months, the accused took off his ankle monitor and escaped to Nicaragua, where, allegedly, using false documents, tried to leave on a private flight to his native country and thus evade Costa Rican justice.
To enter Nicaragua, Gallota used a false passport in the name of Jonathan Tessier, he apparently had bought in Costa Rica.
On October 23, at the Augusto César Sandino airport in Managua, when he intended to leave Nicaragua on a private flight, immigration authorities detected the irregularities in his documentation, discovering the true identity of this man, who was flagged in the International Police (Interpol) system, wanted by the Pavas (San José) criminal court, leading to his apprehension.
Two Mexican nationals; a 59-year-old pilot, and the 38-year-old co-pilot were also detained by Nicaraguan authorities.
Gallota was escorted by Interpol agents back to the Costa Rican side of the Peñas Blancas land border with Nicaragua, where he once again was back in custody.
