
By Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — A 65-year-old Asian man has been charged with illegally trafficking marijuana and growing marijuana at 19500 E. 6th in rural Yale along with possessing two guns during the commission of drug crimes, in an investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control (OBN.)
Dwen Eng You, for whom an arrest warrant from Payne County was issued on Feb. 22, remains at large, court records show. If convicted of a three-count felony charge, You could be given as much as a life prison sentence plus 20 years and a fine of $160,000.
“Since March 2022, OBN agents have been investigating a fraudulent scheme where non-Oklahoma residents would use straw owners to obtain Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) licenses and OBN registrations,” according to an affidavit by OBN Agent Zhiang Zhang, who is assigned to the Marijuana Enforcement Team.
“Based on Oklahoma statutes, the ones who intend to apply for OMMA license and OBN registration need to provide the proof of Oklahoma residency of at least two years immediately preceding the date of application.
“During the investigations, OBN agents discovered several straw owners who were paid to be on the paperwork for those individuals who have yet fulfilled their residency requirement in Oklahoma.
“Our investigations also revealed straw owners are not involved in the daily operation at the marijuana grow facility. NG 888 LLC, located on 19500 E. 6th St., Yale, OK, was one of the grows using straw owner to defraud state of Oklahoma.
“The straw owner for NG 888 LLC was later interviewed by OBN agents and voluntarily surrendered the marijuana grows that she was 75 percent owner of on Oct. 4, 2022.
“In December 2022, OBN agents were advised by OBN analysts that the marijuana grow facility, NG 888 LLC, located at 19500 E. 6th St., Yale, OK, had continued sending their plants and harvest counts to OMMA, even though the surrender notice was sent.
“Further investigation, including a drone operation, revealed there was apparent grow activity at that location, almost one month and a half after the surrender notice being sent to the marijuana grow facility.
“In January 2023, your affiant (OBN agent Zhang), acting in an undercover capacity, met with an individual on the WECHAT, a common chatting messenger used by marijuana traffickers in Oklahoma. (OBN agent Zhang) negotiated with that individual on the WECHAT brokering processed marijuana for my out of state customers from Texas,” the OBN agent alleged in his affidavit.
The OBN agent was provided with a cell phone number, for which the primary user was believed to be Dwen Eng You, the affidavit alleged. A GPS coordinate was also provided to the OBN agent for an in-person meeting for a marijuana sample sale, the affidavit alleged. “On the google map, the GPS coordinate confirms it to be the same location as NG 888 LLC located at 19500 E. 6th St., Yale, OK,” the affidavit alleged.
“On January 26, 2023, OBN agents conducted an undercover operation at NG 888 LLC, at which time undercover agents arrived at the marijuana grow facility (and were) later ushered into a residential structure where all the processed marijuana in clear, sealed plastic bags were stored. After a brief bargain on the price, undercover agents purchased one pound of marijuana sample.
“Undercover agents also took a tour in the warehouse and observed marijuana plants in various vegetative stages in two of the rooms inside. Undercover agents met an Asian male at the grow facility; both agents positively identified the Asian male whom they met to be Dwen Eng You. At no time, You ever questioned the illegitimacy about this deal after being advised by the undercover agents that they are purchasing the marijuana for Texas.
“On February 9, 2023, OBN agents served a search and seizure warrant at 19500 E. 6th St., Yale, OK. Agents later interviewed the two detainees on scene and learned that Dwen Eng You left the grow facility to Oklahoma City for errands.
“After the grow facility was secured, agents searched the entire grow facility and discovered 50 pounds of processed marijuana and 828 immature marijuana plants. Agents located one shotgun upstairs within eight feet of the processed marijuana and a pistol in a safe in the bedroom downstairs.
“Agents also discovered numerous paperwork, for example: gas bills, bank receipts, leasing agreement and other miscellaneous documents from the bedroom downstairs that advised agents that this marijuana grow facility has been in control of Dwen Eng You,” the affidavit alleged.