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Woman facing organized crime charges in P.A. released on bail

A woman arrested by the RCMP Crime Reduction Team after a lengthy investigation into organized crime in Prince Albert was released from custody.
Yooya
RCMP Crime Reduction Team seized a sawed-off shotgun, ammunition a spear gun and a replica handgun during their investigation into organized crime in Prince Albert. (RCMP photo)

A woman arrested by the RCMP Crime Reduction Team after a lengthy investigation into organized crime in Prince Albert was released from custody. 

Shania Yooya, 24, appeared in Prince Albert Provincial Court June 20 on organized crime, drug and weapons charges. 

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 is also charged with unsafe storage of a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition without holding a license, possession of a firearm with a tampered serial number, possession of a weapon obtained by crime, trafficking methamphetamine, obstruction of justice and fabricating evidence. 

The RCMP’s organized crime investigation began October 2019, and in February 2020 they charged a man and two women from the Sturgeon Lake First Nation. They were charged with weapons offences after police executed a search warrant at a Sturgeon Lake First Nation residence on Agency Road on Feb. 12, 2020. At that residence police seized a sawed-off shotgun, ammunition, a replica handgun, a spear gun, and suspected hydromorphone. 

After the Feb. 12 search, police arrested Shania Yooya, 24, Brennan Sanderson, 27, and Shannon Sanderson, 29. They were all 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. 

The RCMP, however, continued their investigation into organized crime and made more arrests.

They arrested Jesse Dillon, 28, from Onion Lake Cree Nation, at the Regina Provincial Correctional Centre on April 10. 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 two counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm, trafficking methamphetamine, obstruction of justice, fabricating evidence, unsafe storage of a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, unlawful possession of a restricted firearm, possession of a firearm with a tampered serial number and possession of a weapon obtained by crime. 

The organized crime investigation also led the RCMP to arrest Raini Henderson, 30, of Nipawin. Police arrested Henderson at the Prince Albert Provincial Correctional Centre on May 6 and charged him with facilitating the activities of a criminal organization. 

Henderson is scheduled to appear in Prince Albert Provincial Court on Sept. 14.

Police also arrested Brennen Sanderson in Sturgeon Lake on May 16. He is charged with unsafe storage of a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition without holding a license, possession of a weapon obtained by crime and failing to appear in court. 

Sanderson is scheduled to appear in Prince Albert Provincial Court on Aug. 24. 

Dillon appeared in Prince Albert Provincial Court on June 16. He remains in custody. He is now scheduled to appear again on June 24 to enter a plea and elect how he wants to be tried. 

Yooya is scheduled to appear in Prince Albert Provincial Court on June 24 to elect how she wants to be tried.