Attorney General John O’Connor filed charges consistent with a multi-county grand jury indictment against two Oklahoma attorneys accused of facilitating illegal medical marijuana operations.
“My office is committed to eradicating these illegal operators and will continue to hold those facilitating illegal marijuana operations accountable,” Attorney General O’Connor tweeted on Thursday.
According to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN), Logan Jones and Eric Brown of Jones Brown Law Firm, told medical marijuana businesses to sign consulting agreements with the firm's employees, who would act as ghost owners of the company. The client would pay the law firm $3,000 per license per year. In exchange, the law firm would provide a consultant to act as an Oklahoma resident and obtain a Medical Marijuana License in the state.
‘Tons Of Marijuana Onto The Illicit Market’
The months-long investigation into Jones Brown Law Firm, initiated by the OBN, revealed that Logan Jones and Eric Brown directed medical marijuana businesses to sign consulting agreements with Jones Brown employees, who would act as ghost owners of the company.
During the investigation, OBN agents searched several locations in Oklahoma. A total of 20,218 marijuana plants were seized during the three search warrants.
“I am extremely grateful to Attorney General John O’Connor, his staff, and the multi-county grand jury for targeting those who created fraudulent business structures and enlisted ‘ghost owners’ allowing criminal organizations to unlawfully obtain a marijuana license,” said OBN Director, Donnie Anderson in a press release.
“My agency has worked tirelessly to investigate these criminal organizations that hide behind their license while moving literally tons of marijuana onto the illicit market. They also are responsible for collateral crimes including money laundering and human trafficking,” Anderson added.
400 Marijuana Grows
The investigation revealed that the Jones Brown Law Firm had submitted documents to the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority and OBN asserting percentages of ownership including a 75% owner as an Oklahoma resident and a 25% owner as a non-Oklahoma resident.
Based on statements and evidence gathered during the investigation, the assertions that Oklahoma residents were 75% owners of marijuana grow operations were fraudulently submitted to the state agencies to obtain licenses.
Investigators discovered that approximately 400 marijuana grows in the state of Oklahoma listed Jones Brown Law Firm employees as 75% owners.
Jones and Brown are each charged with one count of conspiracy to cultivate marijuana, six counts of offering false or forged instruments for recordation, three counts of cultivation of marijuana, and one count of pattern of criminal offenses.
Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash.
