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The accused leader of a billion dollar illegal marijuana operation is back behind bars… this time without a bond.
The man accused of leading a $1.5 Billion illegal marijuana operation is back in jail after a judge denied his bond request. Hao Chen had been released on a $100,000 bond last month before prosecutors pushed to have it revoked.
An Oklahoma County judge ruled Monday to deny bond for Chen, siding with the state’s request to either raise it to $1 million or revoke it entirely. Prosecutors argued Chen poses a significant risk to the community.
RELATED: Accused leader of $1.5B illegal marijuana ring booked into Oklahoma County jail
Authorities accuse Chen of running a large-scale black market marijuana operation across multiple states. He was first arrested in January as part of Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s Operation Blunt Force. Chen faces 18 felony counts tied to the alleged scheme.
In a statement, Chen’s defense attorney, Scott Adams, criticized the decision.
“We are disappointed in the court’s decision and are seeking the appropriate remedy. Mr. Chen has been on a GPS monitoring system for the last 60 days with no violations of any kind. He is a proud U.S. citizen who has confidence in our system of justice and looks forward to utilizing those procedures to return to his family and his 1-year-old daughter.”
Attorney General Gentner Drummond supported the ruling, emphasizing the severity of the case.
“Today’s ruling reflects the serious nature of the charges facing Hao Chen. The court’s decision to deny bond entirely recognizes that an individual accused of running a billion-dollar criminal operation and facing 18 felony counts poses a significant risk to our community. We are committed to seeing this case through and will continue to work diligently to hold all those responsible for this illegal operation fully accountable under the law.”
Chen will remain in custody as the case moves forward through the court system. Prosecutors say they will continue pursuing charges tied to the alleged operation.
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