Bench warrants have been issued for the arrest of three individuals wanted on charges in connection with two marijuana grow operations in Lincoln County.
Formal charges were filed in Lincoln County District on July 1 against Yincong Li, 52, Wellston, Hanhe Chen, 52, Oklahoma City and Jinsheng Luo, 27, Moore. Each was charged with one count each of distribution of controlled dangerous substance including possession with intent to distribute.
Each is wanted on a $25,000 bench warrant filed the same day the charges were.
Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Agent Brandt Robbins, in an affidavit for an arrest warrant stated he had been conducting an investigation into the criminal activities of Yincong Li participating in violations of conspiracy to traffic a controlled dangerous substance.
In the affidavit, he relates that in the spring of 2021 the Drug Enforcement Administration Oklahoma City District Office was contacted by the DEA New York Field Division regarding the possibility that a cell of the Hanhe CHEN marijuana trafficking organization would soon be established in the Oklahoma City area.
Throughout 2021, the Oklahoma City Police Department opened an investigation regarding Chen. Based on traffic stops and GPS tracker data, OCPD was able to locate connections between 2720 SW 115th Street, Oklahoma City and 12800 SW 58th Street in Mustang and a marijuana grow located at 335568 E. 980 Road in Wellston.
In January of this year, DEA Agent Sean Lively was contacted and provided information by members of a business in Oklahoma City that a number of Asian individuals were conducting trash bag exchanges in the parking lot of their business.
A photo was provided to agents that showed a mini-van involved in the transaction which registered to Jinsheng Luo at that 2720 SW 115th Street address in Oklahoma City.
An Asian male was also observed building a wooden crate in that area.
The affidavit states that on Jan. 20, 2022 Maryland State Police intercepted a wooden crate containing approximately 130 pounds of marijuana that was picked up from that business in Oklahoma City and destined for a storage unit in Owings Mills, Md.
The following day, Maryland State Police conducted a controlled delivery of the crate to Jihsheng Luo at the storage facility in Owings Mills, Md. MSP observed Luo’s driver’s license which indicated his residence was 335568 E 980 road, Wellston, Okla.
Continuing their investigation, OCPD in cooperation with OBN and DEA OCDO executed a knock and announced search warrant at 12800 SW 58th Street in Mustang.
Once the property was secured, an entry team from OCPD went to 2720 SW 115th Street and executed a search warrant there as well, the affidavit notes.
A systematic search of the house revealed multiple firearms, approximately $55,000 in U.S. currency and approximately 20 pounds of marijuana between the two residences. All of that was seized by OCPD.
DEA SA Lively, OCPD Detective Vontungeln and OBN
Agent Jehle, through examination of several documents located in the residence were able to determine that Hanhe Chen, Jinsheng Luo ad Diannjie Jang appeared to have some level of interest or stake in Golden Harvest THT, LLC at 335568 E 980 Road, Wellston along with RQ888 Farm, Inc. at 335632 E. 960 Road in Wellston.
According to the affidavit, agents and officers determined that the grow sites located at 335632 E. 960 Road and 335568 E 980 Road were working together to violate the law and avoid law enforcement detection.
As the investigation continued, on March 31 this year, OBN agents along with law enforcement personnel from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and DEA served a search warrant at 335632 E. 960 Road and detained two subjects without incident.
More than 200 pounds of processed marijuana was found, with 51 pounds seized as evidence and the remainder was destroyed on site, and one Apple iPhone and two Samsung cell phones were also seized.
An estimated 1,119 marijuana plants and approximately 100 pounds of process marijuana were removed from other structures on the property and were disposed of properly, an agent stated.