Oklahoma AG Files Charges Against Attorneys Accused Of Helping Illegal Medical Marijuana Grow Operations

Oklahoma's attorney general announced criminal charges against two Tulsa-based attorneys Wednesday.

The AG’s office accused them of running an illegal medical marijuana scheme that involved hundreds of marijuana grow operations.

Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics director Donnie Anderson said the charges were a result of a 14-month investigation and multi-county grand jury indictments.

Logan Jones and Eric Brown of the Jones Brown law firm in Tulsa are at the center of the investigation. The OBN was tipped off that the two were illegally obtaining state licenses for out-of-state medical marijuana business owners.

“Directed medical marijuana businesses to sign consulting agreements with Jones Brown’s employees who would act as ghost owners of the medical marijuana operations,” state attorney general John O’Connor said.

The attorneys charged $3,000 per year for the "ghost owner" to act as an Oklahoma resident. According to state law, an operation has to be 75 percent owned by a state resident. The false information was filed with the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority and the OBN.

“People are getting these licenses,” Anderson said. “On face value, they look legitimate.”

But state authorities said red flags went up when Jones and Brown had hundreds of licenses in their name. During the investigation, OBN agents shut down three illegal operations linked back to the law firm.

“They’re national and international organizations coming into Oklahoma and setting up shop to exploit our laws,” Anderson said.   

Anderson said the implications of the illegal scheme will be far reaching.

“It doesn’t matter what part of this organization you fall under,” Anderson said. “If you participate, if you aid or abet anyone in this operation to further this criminal organization whether laundering money, sex trafficking, human trafficking, labor trafficking -- you will be held accountable.”

The two attorneys each face eight charges. OBN officials said they have hundreds more cases agents are investigating.