Six people were charged today as part of a multi-agency investigation dubbed “Operation Sugar Diamond” that targeted an illegal cannabis extraction business where four people were killed in a fiery explosion at a warehouse in Irwindale in 2023 and another man died at a South El Monte facility last year.
Ted Chien (dob 2/10/72) of Temple City is charged with five counts of murder with the special circumstance allegation of multiple murders. He also faces two felony counts of arson causing great bodily injury, eight felony counts of manufacturing a controlled substance and three felony counts of maintaining a place for selling or using a controlled substance.
If convicted as charged, Chien faces a possible maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or death.
Chien’s partner and co-defendant Han Quan Jiao (dob 7/28/70) of Rosemead is charged in the same case with one count each of murder and arson causing great bodily injury, eight counts of manufacturing a controlled substance and three counts of maintaining a place for selling or using a controlled substance.
If convicted as charged, Jiao faces up to life in prison.
Xiaolong Deng (dob 9/19/88), Chengyan Xu (dob 11/23/63), Christopher Reyes (dob 12/30/94) and Frank Herrera (dob 3/30/90) each face one count each of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance. Xu was charged with two counts of manufacturing, compounding or producing a controlled substance, while the other three defendants were charged with one count of the same offense.
Deng, Reyes and Herrera each face up to seven years in prison if convicted as charged, while Xu faces up to eight years and eight months.
On Oct. 9, 2023, a massive blast erupted at a warehouse in the 1400 block of Arrow Highway in Irwindale, killing Yi Luo, 47, of Baldwin Park; Xin Chen, 59 of Rosemead; Guangqi Fu, 35, of Chino; and Quizhuo Liang, 35, of Monterey Park. All four worked at the warehouse that was allegedly being used for honey oil extraction by Chien and Jiao.
On Nov. 18, 2024, a fire broke out at a laboratory in South El Monte that was allegedly run by the two defendants. Bordin “Tony” Sikarin, 57, of Buena Park, who also was an employee was killed.
Despite the deaths of five employees, Chien and Jiao are accused of continuing their operation to illegally extract and distribute concentrated cannabis in Los Angeles County.
Deng, Xu, Reyes and Herrera also worked for Chien and Jiao and are accused of producing concentrated cannabis. Herrera also allegedly transported the product within Los Angeles County, according to the criminal complaint.
More than 150 law enforcement agents served search warrants at nine locations in Los Angeles County earlier this week, including a large-scale lab in La Verne that abuts the San Gabriel Mountains.
The case remains under investigation by the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Los Angeles High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (LA Impact) and the U.S. Postal Service.