KINGFISHER — The survivor of the mass shooting at an Oklahoma marijuana farm was arrested Wednesday consequently of an investigation into the legality of the operation.
Yifei Lin, 44, is accused of conspiring to commit fraud in opposition to the state and illegally manufacturing and trafficking marijuana. He is listed in state information as a 25% proprietor of the farm 15 miles west of Hennessey.
Four people were fatally shot inside a building at the farm Nov. 20. Lin was wounded.
He was the primary sufferer discovered by Kingfisher County sheriff deputies after they responded to a name a couple of attainable hostage scenario. He was inside a pickup truck
“Are there other people inside?” a deputy requested him, based on body-camera video launched by the sheriff.
“Yeah,” he stated in a strained voice.
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His arrest got here as he was being launched from a hospital and after narcotics brokers concluded he had used a straw proprietor to get round Oklahoma licensing legal guidelines.
“Yifei Lin knowingly signed documents which allowed for the fraudulent obtaining of a marijuana license and registration for a ten-acre farm, more commonly known as Lu & Chen Inc.,” a narcotics agent instructed a decide in an arrest affidavit.
Narcotics brokers recognized the straw proprietor as Richard Ignacio of Bethany. He instructed brokers Nov. 21 that he has made $100,000 during the last two years from the marijuana farms the place he lent his identify in an effort to fraudulently receive licenses and registrations, based on the affidavit.
“He stated he did so for six different farms located throughout the state,” the agent wrote.
“Ignacio did not invest money or resources into the marijuana grows and told agents that he was listed on the license since the actual owners were not eligible,” based on the affidavit.
Lin couldn’t get a develop license and registration by himself in 2020 as a result of he had not lived in Oklahoma two years at the time.
His protection lawyer stated Thursday that Lin was defrauded by the folks he employed to arrange the licenses.
“We maintain our innocence, obviously,” the lawyer, Clay Curtis, stated.
Lin was being held Thursday within the Kingfisher County jail.
The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control on Nov. 21 seized 1,971 kilos of processed marijuana and 4,675 vegetation from the farm.
Lin also is accused of involvement in a shooting in Oklahoma City in 2020.
He was charged with assault and battery with a lethal weapon after the 2020 shooting. He additionally was charged with drug trafficking after marijuana was present in an Edmond home the place he had stayed.
Before the Nov. 20 incident, Lin was free on bond and nonetheless working the farm whereas the 2020 case was pending.
This article initially appeared on Oklahoman: Survivor of mass shooting at marijuana farm has been arrested
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