Zhen Chen pled guilty Jan. 28 in Lincoln County Unified Criminal Court to a Class B offense of cultivating more than 500 marijuana plants and agreed to pay a $400 fine. He received a two-year suspended sentence. 

On Jan. 17 2024, law enforcement encountered Chen, 46, at 107 Rockland Road in Jefferson. According to court documents, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Det. Matthew Ryan identified Chen through the suspect’s New York State driver’s license, and later discovered Chen’s name was on the house deed. The search team found over 500 marijuana plants with items needed for cultivation. 

Another Chinese defendant had his charges dropped. On Jan. 28, Hongxia Kuang's case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence. Kuang was summonsed Jan. 10, 2024 for cultivating marijuana, a Class B crime.

On Jan. 27, Wei Huan Liu received assistance from a Chinese Cantones interpreter and Huan Ying Li received assistance from a Chinese Mandarin intrepreter. Both filed motions to suppress evidence in Lincoln County Unified Criminal Court. 

Liu, 43, of Brooklyn, New York was arrested during a January 2024 raid at 91 Jefferson Road in Whitefield. Law enforcement reported seizing more than 700 plants and 40 pounds of processed marijuana. He was charged with unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs and cultivating marijuana, both Class B crimes. 

Huan Ying Li, 57, formerly of New York City, was arrested during a January 2024 raid at 333 North Howe Road in Whitefield. A police report showed nearly 30 pounds of processed marijuana seized. According to Lincoln County property records, Li purchased the property in November 2019. She was charged with trafficking more than 20 pounds of  scheduled drugs (marijuana), a Class B felony.  

Defendants Ding Zhan Liao and Mingda Li have March 25 docket calls in Lincoln County Unified Criminal Court.

Mingda Li, 41, of Brooklyn, New York was arrested at 754 Cooper Road in Chelsea after the seizure of 900 plants. Li was charged in January 2024 with two counts of cultivating marijuana (more than 900 pounds), and unlawful cultivating of marijuana, according to court records. Both charges are Class B offenses.

Liao was charged in January 2024 with two counts of unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs and cultivating marijuana.