Elk Grove Pot House Growers Found Guilty of Illegal Cultivation

November 27, 2013 |

Six people accused of cultivating marijuana in Elk Grove pot houses were recently convicted. 

Last Friday Lixia Ban, Sinh Van Pham, Yabao Lai, Guanmao Chen, Fa Yin Xian, and Shunyi Chen were convicted by jury for the cultivation and possession for sale of marijuana. The defendants cultivated 1,700 marijuana plants out of four houses in the Sacramento and Elk Grove.

At each house, two doctors’ notes we re posted recommending the cultivation of 198 plants (99 per note). At trial, the defendants claimed to be protected by both the Compassionate Use Act and the Medical Marijuana Protection Act. 

The jury rejected defense claims and determined that the marijuana was instead grown for commercial purposes. Trial testimony established that the plants and harvested marijuana found in the four houses was worth over one million dollars. 

Sentencing is set for January 10, 2014 in Department 17 of the Sacramento Superior Court.