CITY MAN GUILTY IN LARGEST STATE MARIJUANA OPERATION IN HISTORY

MINNEAPOLIS - A Shakopee man who was the last defendant remaining at
trial connected to what may be the largest indoor marijuana-growing
operation in Minnesota history was convicted Tuesday in federal court.

After nearly three hours of deliberation, a jury found Lai Pham, 36,
guilty on one count of conspiracy to manufacture 1,000 or more
marijuana plants. During the trial on Dec. 8, two other defendants,
Tung Nguyen, 34, Bloomington, and Tuan Dang, 32, Inver Grove Heights,
pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy.

Prior to the seven-day trial, six other defendants each pleaded guilty
to one count of conspiracy. They are: Thin Do, 31, Bloomington; Nam
Nguyen, 33, Roseville; Thuong Nguyen, 45, Brooklyn Park; Sonny Pham,
44, Eagan; Hung Le, 48, Maplewood; and Christian Pham, 33, Brooklyn
Park. All nine defendants were indicted on May 6.

" Our office is pleased with this verdict and plea agreements,"
said U.S. Attorney Frank J. Magill. "This was considered by many
agents to be the largest indoor marijuana grow operation in
Minnesota's history, one comparable to those in other parts of the
country, and we are proud to have prosecuted this case. It was the
result of the tremendous efforts of all of our law enforcement
partners, and we thank them."

Their indictment stated that from August 2007 through April 11, 2008,
the nine defendants conspired with one another and others to
manufacture 1,000 or more marijuana plants. During the April 10
arrests, authorities seized more than 5,963 marijuana plants during
the execution of 18 federal search warrants in the Twin Cities.

Eight grow houses were discovered at two residences in Maplewood and
single residences in Brooklyn Park, Burnsville, Coon Rapids, Eagan,
Inver Grove Heights and Lakeville.

In October 2007, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a
residence in Brooklyn Park that produced evidence linked to the
conspiracy. As a result, more than 7,000 marijuana plants were seized
in connection with this conspiracy.

Evidence presented during the trial showed that each of the residences
involved was utilizing a rotating crop schedule in order to have
multiple harvests in one year.

The jury heard evidence that it cost on average $25,000 to set up an
indoor grow operation.

A marijuana grow house that harvests 1,000 plants in a given year
could result in more than $1 million profit.

" The multiple arrests, drug, and asset seizures that occurred in
this investigation are attributed to the outstanding law enforcement
partnerships between DEA [Drug Enforcement Administration], West
Hennepin County Drug Task Force, Hennepin County Sheriff's Office
Narcotics Unit, United States Attorney's Office, and other
participating federal, state, and local agencies," said Dan Moren,
assistant special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement
Administration's Minneapolis District Office. "The efforts of this
significant enforcement operation, orchestrated by the partner
agencies, have dismantled a sophisticated indoor marijuana growing and
distribution organization."

The defendants each face a maximum penalty of life in prison. U. S.
District Court Chief Judge Michael Davis will sentence the defendants
at a date not determined.