December 16, 2022
By News Director Jared Atha
Sheriff Derek Manning said that he and his deputies, along with troopers from OHP’s special operations troop, assisted Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics agents in a raid of a grow house between Sayre and Elk City Wednesday morning. Manning said the raid, based on an OBN warrant, netted a surprisingly large number of plants and processed marijuana based on the size of the operation.
“There were only two metal buildings and two plastic hoop houses on the property, and the hoop houses were inactive due to the cold weather,” Manning said, “So we were expecting maybe two or three thousand plants. But those metal buildings were both packed with crop. Also the residence was full of small plants and processed marijuana.”
Five people were initially detained while officers searched the property, located at 11324, N1920 road. One person was later booked into the Beckham County Detention Center.
Manning said the individual arrested gave OBN agents the name of Huageng Ye, but when jail staff ran his fingerprints, they came back to a different name. “It appears he has one or more aliases, but he is being held on a $250,000 bond for trafficking illegal drugs and aggravated manufacture of CDS,” Manning said, adding that Ye could also be facing federal charges for an AR-15 that was found in the residence.
The Sheriff said that about 135 pounds of processed marijuana were found along with approximately 6,941 plants. “A rough value estimate is that each plant can produce about a pound of processed marijuana, and each pound sells for around $800,” Manning said. “That means what we confiscated and destroyed today represented more than $5.6 million in illegal drugs.”
Manning said OBN also seized a vehicle and the weapon from the property.
The search warrant was secured based on a traffic stop made near El Reno by a trooper with OHP’s Special Operations troop. That stop netted approximately 40 pounds of illegally trafficked marijuana that was sourced to the grow in Beckham County. “It’s very satisfying to see all of our agencies working together to combat the illegal trafficking and production coming from some of these grow houses,”Manning said. “There was also a DEA agent on the scene reviewing information for federal charges, so these crimes are being taken seriously at all levels. I’d also like to thank county commissioner Tate Finnell and his crew for helping us with the destruction of the plants. Our county commissioners have all been ready to help every time we do one of these raids.”
The sheriff said he expects such raids to continue, but he also hopes the legislature will do what it can to rein in the proliferation of illegal grows.
“Usually these grows just produce nuisance calls for our deputies, but we’ve had a shooting incident at one of the grows in our county, and, of course there was the recent quadruple homicide at the grow in Kingfisher County,” Manning said. “When you’re dealing with criminal enterprises that are producing millions of dollars of product out of each small operation, it doesn’t take a lot of deep thinking to realize that violence could ensue. We’ve had deputies respond to blowing trash calls at a grow house to find men inside the property armed with rifles. Our policy is that we do not send a deputy alone to any grow house call because we don’t know if they’re completely legal with no bad intentions or illegal and nervous about why we’re there. We need much, much better laws to fight this problem.”
Copyright 2022 Paragon Communications. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.
Candidate Filing Concludes with Races Developing in Thomas and Cordell
The filing period for municipal office candidates in Oklahoma ran from Monday through Wednesday, with candidates submitting their declarations for city council positions in Custer and Washita counties. Custer County Candidates Filing at the Custer County Election
Elk City Police Department Launches Free Citizen’s Police Academy
Elk City, OK – The Elk City Police Department is inviting community members to participate in its first-ever Citizen’s Police Academy, a free program designed to provide insight into local law enforcement operations. The academy aims to
Fatal Crash Near Sharon Claims Life of Woodward Woman
Woodward County, OK — A fatal crash occurred early Wednesday morning on OK-34 near E County Road 46, approximately five miles north of Sharon. According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the collision happened at approximately 7:20 a.m.
Sheriff’s Office Scam Targets Residents with Fake Warrants and Intimidation Tactics
Beckham County, OK – Scammers posing as law enforcement officers are targeting residents with a fraudulent scheme designed to trick victims into providing personal information or sending money. The scam, often conducted over the phone, involves criminals
OSBI Investigating Homicide and Fire in Ellis County
Ellis County, OK – The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) is investigating a homicide in Arnett at the request of the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office. According to a press release provided by the OSBI, just after
Homicide Investigation Triggers Lockdown at Vici Public Schools
Authorities say a homicide investigation led to a lockdown at a western Oklahoma school district on Monday. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) reported that a person was found dead near County Road 200, just west
Fire Crews Battle Grass Fire in Rural Beckham County
Fire crews in the area were busy battling a grass fire in rural Beckham County, northwest of Elk City, on Monday afternoon. Elk City Fire Chief Kyle Chervenka said his crews were called out to the blaze
Texas Man Facing Felony Firearms Charges in Custer County
Weatherford, OK – A Texas man is facing multiple felony and misdemeanor charges in Custer County after a routine traffic stop led to the discovery of firearms in his vehicle. Dunyale Latroy Rainer, 43, of Amarillo, Texas,
Fire Crews Rescue Three Dogs from Elk City Camper Fire
Elk City, OK – Firefighters are returning to service this morning after battling a camper fire on the north side of Elk City. Crews arrived on the scene to find heavy smoke pouring from the camper, with
Fatal Crash Near Arnett Claims Life of Arkansas Man
Ellis County, OK – A fatal single-vehicle collision occurred early Friday morning, January 31, 2025, at approximately 7:17 a.m. on U.S. Highway 283 and East County Road 62, about one mile east and two miles south of
Elk City Man Wanted for Alleged Financial Exploitation of Elderly Mother
Elk City, OK — Authorities have issued an arrest warrant for 38-year-old Robert Wade Leyva, accused of financially exploiting his elderly mother. The charges stem from an extensive investigation by the Elk City Police Department and Adult
Clinton Public Schools Awarded $34.7 Million GEAR UP Grant
Clinton OK – Clinton Public Schools celebrated a major achievement Monday afternoon, announcing they have been awarded a $34.7 million Oklahoma Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduates (GEAR UP) Grant. The seven-year grant aims to make
Elk City Leadership Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
Elk City, OK – The Elk City Leadership Hall of Fame 2024 Inductees are Dr. Dennis Friesen, MD, Allen Robinson and Debra Sisemore. They will officially be inducted Tuesday February 4, 2025, between the Elkettes and Elks
Elk City Police Issue Warrant for Two Suspects in Burglary Case
Elk City, OK – Authorities have issued an outstanding warrant for two suspects believed to be responsible for multiple burglaries at the Elk City Walmart Superstore located at 210 Regional Drive. The suspects, identified as 61-year-old David
Arizona Man Charged with Assaulting Police Officer in Custer County
Clinton, OK – An Arizona man has been charged with felony assault and battery on a police officer following an incident in Clinton on January 21. Wyatt Eugene Cole Collins, 32, of Glendale, Arizona, was arrested after
Candidate Filing Begins in Roger Mills County for Municipal Offices
Cheyenne, OK – Candidates interested in filing for municipal office in 2 Roger Mills County municipalities will file Declarations of Candidacy beginning 8 a.m. Monday, Februrary 3rd. Kelly Tice, Secretary of the Roger Mills County Election Board,
SWOSU Earns Top Spots in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Rankings
SWOSU Press Release Weatherford, OK – Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) has been recognized as one of the top institutions in the region in the recently released 2025 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges and Best
SWOSU Student Rescued After Medical Emergency During Training Exercise
Weatherford, OK – A Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) student is recovering after a medical emergency during a National Guard training exercise at the university pool on Tuesday morning. According to SWOSU officials, the student experienced a
Man Arrested in Elk City After Alleged Assault on Officers and Restaurant Staff
Elk City, OK – A Weleetka man is facing multiple charges after a violent altercation at an Elk City restaurant escalated into a confrontation with law enforcement. According to authorities, officers responded to a disturbance at El
Students Attend Education Expo
By Landry Brewer Several area high school students mixed with college, university, and technology school representatives at the recent Western Oklahoma Education Expo at Elk City’s Convention Center. The 34th annual event sponsored by the Elk City
Fatal Motorcycle Crash Claims Life of Wheeler Man
Gray County, TX – A single-vehicle motorcycle crash on Saturday evening resulted in the death of 62-year-old Gary Forrester of Wheeler, Texas. The incident occurred on January 26, 2025, at approximately 7:39 p.m. on State Highway 152,
Lucas Named Chair of Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology
Washington, DC – During the House Agriculture Committee’s organizational meeting, Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) from Cheyenne was named Chair of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology. He will also serve on the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets,
Former Blair High School Teacher Arrested for Misconduct Following OSBI Investigation
Blair, OK – The Blair Police Department has enlisted the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) to investigate allegations of misconduct involving a teacher and student at Blair High School. Following an investigation by OSBI special agents,
Canute Duo Shine at the 2025 National Western Stock Show Auction
Denver, CO – The Auction of Junior Livestock Champions at the 2025 National Western Stock Show broke records, generating an impressive $637,000 across the top eight champion animals. This shattered the previous high of $585,000 set in
Two Individuals Face Felony Charges in Custer County
Custer County, OK – Two individuals, 27-year-old Catherine Allina Foulke and 30-year-old William Arney of Custer City, are facing serious felony charges related to alleged child abuse and neglect. These charges stem from incidents reportedly occurring in
