Six Men Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana – On May 22, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against five Chinese nationals, three of whom were illegally residing in the United States, as well as a U.S. citizen, on racketeering and drug charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson.  The indictment was unsealed on June 4, 2025.  Charged in the indictment were HANJIE WU, age 25, from China, YILEI ZHOU, age 35, from China, and ZIHANG ZENG, age 24,from China, LIKE CHEN, age 34, a naturalized U.S. citizen from China, WEI BIN CHEN, age 34, a lawful permanent U.S. resident from China, and AARON STEELE, age 45, from Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

According to court documents, WU, ZHOU, STEELE, WEI BIN CHIN, LIKE CHEN and ZENG were indicted for conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, a mixture and substance containing one hundred (100) kilograms or more of a detectable amount of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846.  WU and STEELE were also indicted for traveling between Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi with the intent to promote, manage, establish, carry on and facilitate the unlawful activity of conspiring to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, marijuana, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1952(a)(3).

If convicted of the drug conspiracy count, WU, ZHOU, STEELE, WEI BIN CHIN, LIKE CHEN and ZENG face a minimum term of imprisonment of five (5) years, up to a maximum term of imprisonment of forty (40) years, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, at least four (4) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.  For the interstate travel in aid of racketeering count, WU and STEELE face a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.  

Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Forrest County Mississippi Sheriff’s Office, and the Picayune, Mississippi Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys André Jones and Nolan D. Paige of the Narcotics Unit.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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