Huiwen Li stands in front of Weiwen Peng at their preliminary appearance and arraignment hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on Wednesday.
Weiwen Peng makes his preliminary appearance and arraignment hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on Wednesday
Two people who are accused of operating two large scale, unlicensed marijuana growing operations in Onalaska pleaded not guilty to all charges in Lewis County Superior Court on Wednesday.
Co-defendants Huiwen Li, whose age was not listed, and Weiwen Peng, 53, were charged with manufacture of marijuana and maintaining premises or vehicle for using controlled substances, both considered class C felonies. They made their preliminary appearances and entered not-guilty pleas Wednesday.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, early in 2020 the Lewis County Joint Narcotics Team (JNET) learned of several rural properties within the county where it was believed large scale, unlicensed marijuana growing operations existed.
Two of the properties JNET believed to have such marijuana growing operations were located in the 100 block of August Road, and the other in the 2100 block of state Route 508, in Onalaska.
From a Lewis County Auditor public record, a JNET detective found that the property in the 2100 block of SR 508 was owned by Li, who is married to Peng.
Through Department of Licensing records, the detective also observed that both Li and Peng use the August Road address as their DOL mailing address, however, they both resided at the SR 508 address, according to the affidavit.
On April 1, JNET detectives served a search warrant at the August Road address where they discovered an “in-door marijuana cultivation operation” that had been partially dismantled, according to the affidavit.
The detectives then went to the SR 508 address to conduct a “knock-and-talk.” From their discussion with Li and Peng they were able to obtain a search warrant for the property and served the warrant the same day, according to the affidavit.
Inside one building, detectives observed it had been separated into three individual marijuana growing areas, where there were 661 marijuana plants growing in total, according to the affidavit.
Through the second search warrant the detectives found a bag of marijuana inside a refrigerator, $14,501 in cash, $13,000 of which was bundled in heat-sealed packaging, a .223 AR-556 firearm and a Glock 43 pistol.
The affidavit also notes that neither Li or Peng were employed and two vehicles, a Lexus and a Volvo, registered to Peng and Li, respectively, were found at the front of the house.
On Wednesday, Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher said he had communicated with Li and Peng’s defense attorneys, Steven Kim and Steven Bobman, respectively, prior to the hearing and had already agreed upon conditions of release.
“We have agreed to release conditions on unsecured bail bonds,” Meagher said.
Li and Peng also elected to waive their right to a speedy trial, ensuring that their case would be brought to a trial in approximately 90 days pending any potential court orders, and Judge Andrew Toynbee set their trial confirmation date for January 14, 2021.
