ESTEVAN — Carnduff's Zachary Christopher Hillis will stand trial on three of his charges.
Hillis had his matters before Estevan Provincial Court on July 9. At that time, his attorney Joelle Graham said Hillis was going to plead not guilty. A trial was scheduled for March 5, 2026, on one count each of being unlawfully in a dwelling with intent to commit an offence, violating the terms of his release order, and uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm.
According to the court docket, Hillis is still facing 14 other charges, most of them stemming from an arrest last October in southeast Saskatchewan. Graham said she and the Crown prosecutor will work on a resolution.
His next court appearance on those charges is also scheduled for March 5.
Background: Hillis has been in custody since his arrest last October.
He was arrested in October after the Carnduff RCMP received a request for assistance from a rural property northwest of Glen Ewen.
Officers responded and determined a man had assaulted a woman. They located Hillis, who was wanted on a warrant by the Carnduff RCMP for breaching court-ordered release conditions. He was arrested at the scene without incident.
After further investigation, the RCMP says officers located and seized two firearms, ammunition, a pocket knife, approximately two grams of cocaine and drug trafficking paraphernalia.
Hillis was initially charged with one count each of unauthorized possession of a firearm, unsafe storage of firearms, assault, uttering threats and possession for the purpose of trafficking (cocaine). He was also charged with two counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and four counts of failing to comply with his release conditions.
He was later charged with being unlawfully in a dwelling and another count of violating his release conditions.
Hillis pleaded guilty earlier this year to two charges, one for possession for the purpose of trafficking and the other for possession of a firearm/prohibited weapon when knowing it was unauthorized, stemming from an arrest in June 2024. A second charge of possession for the purpose of trafficking was stayed.
He was sentenced to 18 months in custody on May 26. With credit for time served, he had 219 days left to serve.
