By Mike McCormick Staff Writer TwoMcLoudmenfacing three felony charges each in connection with trafficking illegal drugs, cultivation of a controlled substance and possession of firearms during commission of a felony have avoided trials.
One has entered a guilty blind plea on two counts and entered a no contest plea on the third charge.
The other has pleaded guiltytoanamendedcharge and the state has dismissed the other two counts against him.
DestinMinghaunChung, 18, and his father, William Chung, 44, each were formally charged April 18, 2023 in Lincoln County District Court with those three counts.
Special Judge Emily Mueller on April 13. 2023 set William Chung’s bond at $100,000. He made his initial appearance on April 20, 2023. The judge set Destin Chung’s bond at $50,000, he also made his initial appearanceApril 20.
Recently,WilliamChung appeared before District Judge Sarah Bridge for the jury trial call docket. Instead, he entered a guilty blind plea on Counts 1 and 2 and a no contest plea blind plea on Count 3.
Judge Bridge has set his sentencing for 1:30 p.m. April 22, 2025.
Assistant District Attorneys RachelThompsonand Kelly Trimble prosecuted the case for the state and Natalie Christie was William Chung’s defense attorney.
Destin Chung appeared recently before Judge Bridge for the felony disposition docket. The state moved to amend Count 1 to distribution of CDS.
On the state’s recommendation as a results of a plea bargain, Destin Chung withdrewhispreviouspleas and on the amended Count 1 entered a guilty plea. The plea was received, the judge foundhimguiltyonCount1 and she deferred sentencing for a period of five years.
She handed him a $100 judicial assessment, a $100 VCA, court costs, pay 991 fee and to testify truthfully if called upon.
Counts 2 and 3 were dismissed. The judge placed him on Supervised Probation with the Department of Corrections and she ordered him to report to the Probation Office and the Court Clerk’s Office.
Assistant District Attorney Kelly Trimble prosecuted the case for the state and Destin was defended by the attorney of record.
Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous DrugsAgentAndrewTerry states in an affidavit that on April 3, 2023 Shawnee Police Cpl. John Brirstow, a certified K9 handler for the department, conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for having the license plate covered and not visible. The occupants were identified as William Chung, driver, and Destin Chung, passenger.
Bristow identified the odor of raw marijuana coming from the vehicle, according to the affidavit. After asking the driver to exit the vehicle, Bristow inquired of him was there anything inside the vehicle he needed to know about.
William Chung told Bristow, “yes,” and then advised the officer he needed an attorney.
As Bristow proceeded with his probable cause search, he seized approximately 27 pounds of vacuumed sealed marijuana.
In the affidavit it’s stated that Cpl. R. Barton arrived on the scene and had the passenger Destin Chung exit the vehicle. Officer Barton handcuffed Destin Chung and read him his Miranda Rights.
Destin Chung told Barton that the marijuana was going to Florida where they had a dispensary and further told him he didn’t have a Medical Marijuana card. He informed Barton he and his father have a small marijuana grow in their residence in McLoud.
Both of the Chungs were transported to the Pottawatomie County Public Safety Center where they were booked on trafficking in illegal drugs.
OnApril5lastyear,OBN Agents Cody Gibson and AndrewTerryconductedan in custody, post miranda interview with Destin Chung at the Public Safety Center.
A day later, Agent Terry was granted a knock and announce search warrant for the residence ofWilliam and Destin Chung that is located at 334486 E. U.S. 62, McLoud, in Lincoln County.
According to the affidavit, agents found multiple evidentiary items, among them packages and jars of marijuana, marijuana plants, a covert camera and bug detector device, a laptop, drying marijuana plants, a Ruger SR9C pistol, frozen marijuana plants and bank documents.
A total of three firearms were recovered and 54 pounds of packaged marijuana along with numerous plants in a drying phase.