A Chinese national allegedly involved in illegal marijuana grows in Maine has reached a plea agreement with the federal government.
Jiamin Liao agreed to plead guilty to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, according to a plea agreement filed Monday in U.S. District Court of Maine in Bangor. A second count of the same charge will be dismissed.
Liao was arrested in August 2024, about five months after police raided properties she owns in Madison and Norridgewock, according to court records. Roughly 600 marijuana plants and 20 pounds of processed marijuana were seized.
The federal government cracked down on illegal marijuana grows after a leaked federal government memo in 2023 connected the houses in Maine to Chinese organized crime. Liao’s agreement comes shortly after another man pleaded guilty to similar charges.
Ken Yiu pleaded guilty Dec. 10 in federal court to one felony count each of maintaining a marijuana-involved premise and making a false statement and report to a bank. He had a grow house in St. Albans.
As part of the agreement Liao will waive her claim to just over $59,000 seized from two properties, court records said.
During an interview with police Liao said she was fixing up the Norridgewock property for herself and kept marijuana in the house that was grown at her Madison property. Her family gave her money to buy both properties, she told police.
She told police she kept processed marijuana in a closet because she liked the way it smelled and described the plants as “like my babies,” court records said.
A plea hearing date has not been scheduled. Liao faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $500,000.