2 Oklahoma attorneys charged in medical marijuana scheme

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Two Oklahoma attorneys were charged Thursday in an alleged medical marijuana scheme that allowed out-of-state growers to skirt the state’s law requiring marijuana businesses to be at least 75% owned by state residents.

Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor announced charges against Logan Jones, 56, and Eric Brown, 41, of the Jones Brown Law Firm. Both are charged with conspiracy to cultivate marijuana, offering false or forged instruments for recordation, cultivation of marijuana and pattern of criminal offenses.

“My office is committed to eradicating these illegal operators and will continue to hold those facilitating illegal marijuana operations accountable,” O’Connor said in a statement.

The charges resulted from a monthslong investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and the state’s multi-county grand jury. More than 20,000 marijuana plants were seized during search warrants at three grow facilities: Dao K 88 LLC in Garvin County, Evergreen Cannabis LLC in Major County and Tianz LLC in Mayes County.

The charges allege the two attorneys had employees of their law firm act as ghost owners for a $3,000 fee for out-of-state residents seeking to get into the medical marijuana business.

More than 400 marijuana growing operations in the state listed Jones Brown Law Firm employees as 75% owners, according to a news release from O’Connor’s office.

Messages left Thursday with the attorneys and their law firm weren’t immediately returned.