Six more indicted out of investigations of Oklahoma Marijuana farms
Oklahoma's multicounty grand jury is continuing to focus on the medical marijuana industry, indicting six more people Thursday.
The latest grand jury has issued a series of indictments out of investigations of pot farms since convening last June. Grand jurors next meet April 9-11.
“The menace of illegal marijuana grows run by foreign nationals is a dire threat to public safety in Oklahoma,” said Attorney General Gentner Drummond, whose assistants advise the grand jury.
“This threat can only be eliminated through the concerted efforts of dedicated law enforcement professionals like the ones responsible for securing today’s indictments," the AG said.
Grand jurors alleged in the first indictment that Kangbin Lee, 29, was illegally growing marijuana at Monster Farms in Haskell. He and four others were arrested after a raid Jan. 11.
Grand jurors also alleged Lee kept marijuana, a pistol and rifle, and cash at a stash house in a well-to-do neighborhood in Bixby, a suburb of Tulsa.
He was charged with aggravated trafficking of marijuana and five other felony counts. His attorney did not respond Thursday to a request for comment.
Grand jurors alleged in the second indictment that Paul Wayne Baxter illegally grew marijuana at Cannabaxter Farms and Evergreen Farms in Prague, about 50 miles east of Oklahoma City. Grand jurors also alleged he conspired with others to hide from the state the true owners.
"I have done nothing wrong, nothing illegal," Baxter told The Oklahoman on Thursday. "They destroyed everything."
A raid of the pot farms in November found 77,362 untagged marijuana plants and nearly 2,000 pounds of harvested marijuana, the AG said at the time.
Baxter, 69, was charged with five counts of aggravated manufacturing of marijuana, one count of conspiracy to defraud the state and one count of possession of unlawful proceeds.
Four others were charged with one count of aggravated manufacturing of marijuana and one count of conspiracy to defraud the state. They were identified as Beng Di Chan, 46; Min Yong Chen, 56; Zeng Chen Lau, 54; and Chen Fu Lin, 36. They could not be reached for comment.
Min Yong Chen also was charged with one count of illegal possession of a weapon and one count of possession of proceeds derived from illegal drug activity.
