Oklahoma Bureau Of Narcotics Busts Sapulpa Marijuana Grow Using Straw Owner

Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics has taken more than 2,000 plants from a marijuana grow in Sapulpa.

OBN says it's all illegal because the operator, Ron Mauzey, used a straw owner, 81-year-old Emma Roach.

A straw owner is someone who holds a license for someone else. 

Roach says she was vulnerable because she knew nothing about marijuana but trusted Mauzey because she'd known him all his life. She says this has nothing to do with her age. 

Emma Roach has owned her property of 40 acres for the last 40 years. The same land where state investigators say Ron Mauzey was illegally growing marijuana. 

"He approached me about the fact of getting a grow in my name and everything, and he would foot the bill for everything," Roach said.

Roach agreed, and Mauzey got the license in Roach's name. He also involved her daughter in the grow operation. 

"He had 88 percent, I had 10 percent, and there was two percent that I guess was supposed to go to my daughter since she was vice president," said Roach. 

Roach says Mauzey then fired her daughter in April, and then after three years of allowing Mauzey to use her property, Roach said she was done.

"Whenever he did that, I called him since I was president of the corporation and told him you're fired, and I'm pulling my grow," said Roach.

Mauzey then took Roach to court.

He says Roach agreed to sell 30 acres to Mauzey, and he paid her $115,000 as part of the full payment of $400,000 dollars.

"He claims I that mainly had told him I would sell him this property," said Roach. "I never did. I didn't ever sign anything, so what if I did, but I never did."

The lawsuit says Roach was told to return the money or execute a written contract for sale.

After News on 6 finished talking with Roach, we went over to talk to Mauzey, who was at the property. He didn't agree to an interview but said he'll save his comments for court.

OBN says no one has been arrested, but that could change. The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority says that if you are going to get a grower's license, you must make sure you are the one operating it.