Trials haven’t been set for an Onion Lake Cree Nation man and a Sturgeon Lake First Nation woman facing organized crime charges in Prince Albert.
Jesse Dillon, 29, and Shania Yooya, 25, were arrested in April 2020 after an RCMP investigation into organized crime in Prince Albert. Police arrested Dillon at the Regina Provincial Correctional Centre in April.
Dillon is charged with recruiting for a criminal organization, trafficking a controlled substance for a criminal organization, uttering threats for a criminal organization, and conspiracy to commit assault for a criminal organization. He is also charged with numerous firearms offences, fabricating evidence, trafficking in methamphetamine and obstruction of justice.
Yooya is charged with trafficking a controlled substance for a criminal organization, uttering threats for a criminal organization, and conspiracy to commit assault for a criminal organization.
She elected to be tried by judge and jury at Prince Albert Court of Queen’s Bench. Her trial has been delayed due to a combination of the COVID-19 pandemic and Yooya changing lawyers.
Part of the police investigation included a search of a residence on the Sturgeon Lake First Nation Feb. 12, 2020, which resulted in the seizure of a sawed-off shotgun, ammunition, a replica handgun, a spear gun, and a quantity of suspected hydromorphone.
Police also arrested Raini Henderson from the Nipawin area and charged him with facilitating the activities of a criminal organization. The charges against Henderson were stayed earlier this year.
Brennan Sanderson, 28, and Shannon Sanderson, 29, from Sturgeon Lake First Nation were also arrested.
Brennan Sanderson and Shannon Sanderson were charged with facilitating the activities of a criminal organization, unsafe storage of a firearm, possession a weapon for a dangerous purpose, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition without a license, possession of a firearm with a tampered serial number, possession of a weapon obtained by crime, and failing to appear in court.
Brennan Sanderson has a trial scheduled in July in Prince Albert Provincial Court. Shannon Sanderson failed to appear in court in March 2020 and there is an active warrant for her arrest.
The charges against Dillon, Yooya, Shannon Sanderson and Brennan Sanderson haven’t been proven in court.
