A jury in Thurston County found five co-defendants guilty last week of unlawful manufacture and possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver, resolving a case that began when law enforcement busted a marujuana manufacturing operation in Oakville, Rochester and Olympia in 2018.
The bust occurred on March 15, 2018, with Thurston County Narcotics Task Force detectives and other law enforcement executing search warrants on four residences in Thurston County.
The five co-defendants — 35-year-old Trung N. Dang, 38-year-old Trang My Le, 29-year-old David Le, 35-year-old Ken Lu and 30-year-old Matthew D. Tran — were arrested during that bust.
Tran was arrested at 63 Downey Lane in Oakville, where over 300 mature marijuana plants, 27 juvenile plants, starter plants, processed marijuana and grow equipment were found during the bust, according to court documents.
Lu and Tai Le were arrested for their association with 18431 Old Highway 99 in Rochester, where detectives found over 397 growing marijuana plants, grow equipment and other high value items including a firearm, watches and tools.
Dang and David Le were arrested for their association with 721 101st Ave. SW in Olympia, where detectives found over 150 growing marijuana plants, grow equipment and other high value items, including gold bars and apparel worth $80,000 or more.
The jury found all five defendants guilty as charged and returned a special verdict that all defendants committed the above crimes within 1,000 feet of a designated school bus route, according to a news release from the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office.
Dang was additionally found guilty last week of leading organized crime and money laundering.
"We extend our sincere appreciation to the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force for their thorough investigation, the community member who reported the activity, and the dedicated jurors who devoted their time to the trial,” the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said in a prepared statement about the case. “Illegal marijuana operations undermine the legal framework established to safeguard the well-being of our community, and we hope these verdicts will serve as a deterrent to keep organized crime out of our area.”
Motion hearings to set conditions of release for the co-defendants until sentencing are scheduled for Thursday, May 25.
Sentencing hearings had not been scheduled as of Tuesday morning.
