By Patti Weaver
STILLWATER — A 42-year-old Oklahoma City man, who admitted trafficking about 59.2 pounds of marijuana in Yale, has been placed on seven years of probation as part of an agreement with the prosecution approved in court by Payne County District Judge Jason Reese on March 13.
Xiaonong Zhang was ordered to provide a DNA sample and to pay a $960 prosecution fee as well as other costs, court records show.
Zhang had been arrested at 10 am on Oct. 8, 2025, by Yale Police Officer Branden Johnson following a traffic stop for traveling 33 mph in a 25-mph school zone on Chicago and N. D Street in Yale, according to his affidavit.
According to the Yale officer’s affidavit, “While speaking with the driver, I noticed that Zhang was shaking so much that he was having trouble operating his phone. Zhang did not speak English, so he was using his phone to translate. I also noticed an extremely strong odor of marijuana.
“After a short period, I was able to explain to Zhang that I had stopped him for his speed, and I needed to see his license and insurance. I then asked Zhang if there was any marijuana in the vehicle. He said no. At this time, he attempted multiple times to make phone calls. I again asked if he had any marijuana in the vehicle; he said no.
“I asked if he transports marijuana, and he said yes. I asked who he transports for, and he said, ‘I don’t know.’ I asked if he had a license to transport, and he said no. I asked if he was transporting marijuana or cash, and he said hemp. I said, ‘so marijuana’ and he said yes. I asked him where it was, and he pointed to the back of the vehicle. I asked how much, and he said, ‘I don’t know.’
“At this time, I asked Zhang to exit the vehicle and show me where the marijuana was. He exited the vehicle and opened the back hatch, and there were two large black trash bags. I opened the first bag to find multiple individual bags of marijuana in vacuum-sealed packaging with RS-50 written on them. I then asked Zhang if he worked for a company, and he said no.
“He was told to go pick up these two bags, and they would pay him $200. I asked who he was transporting for, and he said he only has a phone number. I asked where he was taking the bags, and he said he was told to just go, and then he would be given a specific location.
“The second bag contained the same as the first. I then located another bag in the same vacuum-sealed packaging hidden under/behind the middle row seat; however, this one just had RS written on it.
“By this time, Asst. Chief Moore had arrived on scene, so we placed Zhang in the backseat of his vehicle, while I inventoried the rest of the vehicle. During this inventory, I located a second cellphone in the driver side door, as well as what appeared to be a second fob, not for a vehicle, attached to the keys.
“Zhang was advised he was under arrest, and he was read his Miranda (rights). Zhang asked for a lawyer. Zhang was transported to the Payne County Jail by Asst. Chief Moore.
“The black bags each contained 25 individually vacuum-sealed packages containing between 1lb,2.2. ounces and 1 lb,2.8 ounces of marijuana. Each large bag, as well as the small packages, had RS-50 written on them, except for the one located by itself within the vehicle.
“Both phones were iPhone, one was blue with a case, and the other was black with a case. Both phones, as well as the non-vehicle fob, were seized.”
According to the affidavit, 51 packages were found totaling about 59.2 pounds, which is more than twice the amount required for a marijuana trafficking charge.
The day after his arrest, Zhang was released from the Payne County Jail on $50,000 bond, court records show.
