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P.A. man facing organized crime charges has appearance in Saskatoon court

Some of the five people arrested throughout Saskatchewan after a lengthy RCMP investigation into organized crime activity in communities around Prince Albert had more court appearances.
Saskatoon Provincial Court
Saskatoon Provincial Court

Some of the five people arrested throughout Saskatchewan after a lengthy RCMP investigation into organized crime activity in communities around Prince Albert had more court appearances.

Brennen Sanderson, 28, from the Prince Albert area was scheduled to appear in Saskatoon Provincial court Sept. 4. He is charged with facilitating the activities of a criminal organization, as well as unsafe storage of a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a restricted firearm and ammunition without a license, possession of a firearm with a tampered serial number and possession of a weapon obtained by crime.

The RCMP Crime Reduction Team arrested Sanderson and four others after a lengthy organized crime investigation that started in October 2019. Police also arrested Shannon Sanderson, 29, and Shania Yooya, 24, after raiding a home on Sturgeon Lake First Nation on Feb. 12. All three were charged with unauthorized possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, unsafe storage of a firearm, possession of a firearm with a tampered serial number, and possession of a weapon obtained by crime. Yooya was also 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 pleaded not guilty and a trial date will be set in Prince Albert Court of Queen’s Bench.

Shannon Sanderson was released from custody and failed to appear in court in March.

The investigation into organized crime also resulted in the arrest of Jesse Dillon 28, from Onion Lake Cree Nation in April and Raini Henderson from the Nipawin area in May. Police found Dillon already under arrest on other charges at the Regina Provincial Correctional Centre and they located Henderson sitting in the Prince Albert Provincial Correctional Centre.

Dillon was additionally 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. Henderson was charged with facilitating the activities of a criminal organization.

Henderson’s next court date is Sept. 28. Dillon elected to be tried by Court of Queen’s Bench judge alone and is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 25. Shannon Sanderson remains at large with a warrant out for her arrest. Brennan Sanderson is now scheduled to appear in Saskatoon Provincial Court Sept. 23.