The owner of a major marijuana growing operation that was seized by law enforcement officers has been formally charged with two felonies, but has failed to make her initial appearance in court.
Sai Ying Lin, 48, of Tryon, was formally charged in Lincoln County District Court June 22.
She faces felony counts of cultivation of a controlled substance and maintaining a place for keeping, selling a controlled substance.
Special Judge Emily Mueller set a $30,000 bail for her and she was to make an initial appearance on June 24.
Court records showed she failed to appear on June 24. Judge Mueller ordered a bench warrant taken under advisement until 1:30 p.m. July 29.
Count 1 against Lin accuses her of growing marijuana without the proper permits on June 15, 2021, in Lincoln County.
That crime is punishable by a fine not to exceed $50,000 and imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for not more than 10 years.
Count 2 against Lin charges her with maintaining residential quarters and grow houses for the cultivation of marijuana on June 15 of this year. That crime carries a fine of not more than $10,000 and imprisonment for not more than five years.
Pottawatomie and Lincoln County District Attorney Allan Grubb said at the time of the seizure of the operation and the arrest of Lin that his Special Operations team along with his District 23 Task Force conducted the investigation.
He mentioned, too, the Sac and Fox, Citizen Potawatomi and Kickapoo Tribal police assisted.
“There were 81 grow houses, about 320 plants in each of them. I’m told the marijuana is worth $1,200 a pound, there are around three plants to a pound and we seized approximately 40,000 plants,” he said.
Grubb estimated the total value of the plants at between $12 and $17 million. He noted the operation spanned over 10 acres.
District 3 Lincoln County Commission Chairman Lee Doolen said that while the site is located in District 1 Commissioner Carl Munson’s district, crews from all three districts assisted in going in and gathering up and destroying the marijuana plants.
Marlon Miller is District 2 commissioner.
Grubb said the site was located at 341559 Highway 105 which is two miles east of Tryon on SH 105.
The DA explained the Operations team has recently been put into place “and we stumbled across this major operation.”
He said Pottawatomie and Lincoln County commissioners have approved putting in $80,000 from each county to fund the two investigators. “This money is not tax money,” he stressed.
“It’s money from licensing fees from the marijua na growers, dispensers, processors and transporters,” Grubb emphasized. “This is part of the money legal operations are paying with their licenses.”
He pointed out, “We’re trying to encourage everyone to be legal, do it safely and not injure the environment. It’s designed to encourage a good relationship with the growers, dispensers, processors and transporters,” he said.
“There’s been a lot of confusion between state law, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, and Medical Marijuana legislation. No one has really known how to handle this,” the DA believes.
“But after a lot of research, we found we can operate under Title 63 of the state statutes,” explaining his reason for forming the Operations Team. “It’s been a joint effort,” he said.
Grubb continued, “This pilot program will help a lot of agencies across the state on handling this.”
The DA said citizens who suspect illegal growing operations are taking place should contact his office at 405-275-6800 to report the activity.