LLOYDMINSTER – A high-ranking street gang member who recently had his 2023 robbery for a criminal organization charge dropped, is now facing charges in a 2025 armed robbery.
Jesse Dillon, 33, from Onion Lake Cree Nation and Yorkton, Sask., is scheduled back in Lloydminster Alberta Court of Justice in February 2026 for a preliminary hearing. He was arrested earlier this year after Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team ALERT (ALERT) and Lloydminster RCMP investigated several incidents, including an armed robbery, drug trafficking, and a flight from police.
The new charges stem from an incident in February after Lloydminster RCMP had responded to reports of an armed robbery at a home in Lloydminster. Officers located the suspect vehicle and tried to stop it but the driver refused to stop for police.
After officers disabled the vehicle, four people tried fleeing. Three were arrested right away and the fourth tried hiding from police by climbing a tree. RCMP Police Dog Services, the RCMP helicopter and investigators tracked the individual and took them into custody without further incident.
Police obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and found 26 grams of methamphetamine, 26 grams of fentanyl, and seven grams of cocaine.
Dillon, along with Payton Armstrong, 29, and Dakota Frenchmen, 24, both of Thunderchild First Nation, and Dustin Harper, 28, of Onion Lake Cree Nation, were all charged with three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking (cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl), flight from police, and failing to comply with probation. A preliminary hearing for all four has been scheduled for February 2026 in Lloydminster Alberta Court of Justice.
RCMP had also issued an arrest warrant for a fifth person, Hayley Meili, 23. She appeared in Lloydminster Alberta Court of Justice on May 20.
Dillon’s previous charges dropped
On June 4, 2024, in Lloydminster Saskatchewan Provincial Court, Dillon’s 2023 robbery for a criminal organization charge and firearms offences were stayed. When the Crown stays charges, they can be brought back to life within a year, but this rarely happens. The Crown usually stays charges if they don’t believe there is a possibility of a conviction, sometimes because witnesses won’t cooperate.
Dillon considered violent
In May 2024, Dillon was “inadvertently released” when he had appeared in Lloydminster, Sask., court for a bail hearing. According to court documents, the Crown prosecutor in Lloydminster, Sask., Provincial Court had agreed to his release on May 16, 2024. RCMP immediately released Dillon’s photo, warning the public that he was a known violent offender.
Days later, the Meadow Lake RCMP Crime Reduction Team arrested Dillon on Big Island Lake Cree Nation.
Court previously heard that Dillon was a high-ranking Westside Outlawz street gang member.
Ran drug business from jail
In March 2023, Saskatoon court heard that Dillon was able to run his major drug trafficking operation while behind bars in Prince Albert with the help of his then girlfriend.
Court heard that he would not have been able to run his drug business from behind bars without her help. He told her where to go, what to do, the quality of the drugs, had her collect debts, and threaten people.
Dillon was in daily contact with her and was able to call her more than 800 times by using other inmate’s phone time. His position within the street gang allowed him to do that, court heard. In 2023, she was given a one-year Conditional Sentence Order (CSO) for charges of trafficking drugs for a criminal organization.
