An Aurora couple has been found guilty, by a federal jury in Denver, of marijuana cultivation in massive black market cannabis grow.
Huanyu Yan, 54, and wife, You Lan Xiang, 50, were found guilty after a four-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Raymond P. Moore, according to a U.S. Attorney, District of Colorado, news release.
Both defendants, who were free on bond, were remanded into custody pending sentencing, which is scheduled for Feb. 24, 2020, the release said.
On Oct. 18, 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration, North Metro Drug Task Force, and Aurora police executed a federal search warrant at 20050 East Doane Drive, Aurora, according to the release. Investigators found “large-scale illicit marijuana grow operation in the basement of the house, with 878 marijuana plants.”
Also found in the basement was almost ten pounds of processed marijuana. The yield of the marijuana, according to testimony trial, would be enough to produce 150,000 joints.
The defendants were convicted of conspiracy to manufacture and possess with intent to distribute 100 or more marijuana plants, possessing with intent to distribute 100 or more marijuana plants, and using and maintaining a drug-involved premise. They face mandatory minimum 5-year prison sentences.
“This is an important verdict for the people of Colorado, who’ve been overrun by black-market marijuana,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn, in the release. “This verdict sends a strong signal to anyone growing black market marijuana in Colorado that they can’t hide.”
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