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President Trump and the First Lady participate in a Dinner with the King and Queen of England.
by Kimberly Querry-Thompson
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Federal prosecutors say a sprawling black-market marijuana operation used Oklahoma grow sites to supply illegal cannabis across the country, leading to charges against 51 people and the seizure of tens of thousands of plants.
A federal indictment has been unsealed charging 51 defendants across 67 counts for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to manufacture black-market marijuana in Oklahoma and distribute it throughout the United States, including Texas, Mississippi, Kansas and North Carolina, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester announced.
According to the indictment, from March 2025 through April 2026, a network of marijuana grow owners, brokers, transporters and distributors allegedly worked together to facilitate the conspiracy.
Prosecutors allege grow owners manufactured large quantities of marijuana for black-market distribution within Oklahoma and across the United States, and that black-market marijuana farms, including grows in Stillwater, Hennessey and Paden, diverted marijuana into the illicit market.
In a coordinated takedown late last week, more than 100 law enforcement personnel executed arrest warrants involving 51 defendants from Oklahoma, Texas, New York, North Carolina, Florida, Michigan, Kansas, Mississippi and California.
Of the indicted targets, 28 have been arrested and 23 remain fugitives.
“This case underscores the threat posed by nationwide criminal organizations that exploit Oklahoma’s marijuana laws to produce and distribute large quantities of black-market marijuana across the country,” Troester said. “Working alongside our federal, state, and local partners, my office remains committed to taking down these organizations and those who run them.”
Authorities also executed 22 search warrants in Oklahoma, Cleveland, Kingfisher, Stephens, Payne and Okfuskee counties, as well as in Michigan and Kansas.
Law enforcement seized about 61,000 marijuana plants and 550 kilograms of processed marijuana. During the execution of the warrants, about 13 non-citizens in addition to the 51 defendants charged were identified and turned over to immigration officials.
“This investigation targeted a criminal organization that was producing and trafficking large quantities of marijuana across state lines, under the guise of a state-licensed operation,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Dallas Special Agent in Charge Joseph B. Tucker. “The DEA, working with our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to identify, disrupt, and dismantle these networks to protect our communities and hold accountable those who prioritize profit over law.”
Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control Director Donnie Anderson said the enforcement effort builds on work that began in 2021.
“We can’t overstate the impact and importance of these types of operations. Since 2021, when our agency created Marijuana Enforcement Teams (MET), we’ve proudly worked alongside our federal and state partners to target criminal organizations operating in Oklahoma,” Anderson said. “These partnerships have resulted in a dramatic drop in illegal marijuana farms within our state.”
2026 Sinclair, Inc.