A former Saskatoon mayoral candidate and owner of a legal services business is facing charges in connection with an armed robbery at a North Battleford motel.
Mark Zielke and two other men are facing 14 charges — including robbery with a firearm, assault with a weapon and forcible confinement.
Zielke, 41, was arrested with Tyson Moore, 44, and David Dominguez, 41.
On Saturday night, officers responded to a robbery at the Hitching Post Motel.
RCMP say the three men threatened employees with a gun; one employee was assaulted and taken to hospital.
Police say the men stole cash, electronics, bank cards, and IDs before fleeing the scene in a vehicle.
Court documents allege the men used a glock handgun in the robbery and a sword in the assault.
RCMP stopped the vehicle near the Borden Bridge and arrested Zielke, Moore and Dominguez. Police seized the items reported as stolen, as well as a loaded handgun.
The Hitching Post Motel was locked on Wednesday, with a handwritten “closed” sign on its front door.
From custody, Zielke appeared via video at Provincial Court in North Battleford on Wednesday.
He was released on bail with no financial obligations.
Judge Kevin Hill ordered Zielke to have no-contact with Moore and Dominguez.
His bail conditions require him to stay at his Saskatoon residence and prohibit travel to North Battleford.
Zielke’s next court appearance is scheduled for April 28.
Zielke campaigned to be Saskatoon’s mayor in 2020.
In 2019, a judge ordered Zielke to stop providing legal advice or representing clients in court until he is licensed by the Law Society of Saskatchewan.
In 2021, Saskatchewan’s Court of Appeal overruled the decision.
Zielke offers legal services through his business, Living Sky Advocates.
Zielke describes himself as an “advocate for justice” on social media — where he frequently posts about attending court, client meetings and local businesses.
