Man Who Robbed Pot Farm Sentenced to Probation

One of the two men who allegedly  in April pleaded no contest Tuesday to a misdemeanor charge in the case, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's office.

Kitae Chae, 38, of San Francisco pleaded no contest to trespassing in connection with the robbery and was sentenced to 18 months of court probation.

Chae's co-defendant, Kenny Kong, 34, also of San Francisco has yet to enter a plea and has a preliminary hearing set for Sept. 15.

The plea bargain is just the that garnered Bay Area-wide attention when police officers responding to a robbery on Valleywood Drive on April 29 discovered a pot farm being operated by two elderly women. Just two weeks earlier, police discovered that Kong had a pot farm of his own in San Bruno. 

Court records reveal more information about the pot farm to which Kong was connected. 

On April 12, San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force officers executed a search warrant on a home on Exeter Drive, which Kong allegedly owned. According to the search warrant, they were searching for evidence of unlawful cultivation of marijuana.

Police reports revealed that among 540 marijuana plants found in the home, 37 electrical ballasts and 29 high intensity 100-watt light bulbs were found.

California Department of Motor Vehicle registrations for two vehicles belonging to Kong were also found. Police also found a birth certificate for Kong’s daughter, which he had by a girlfriend.

In addition, police found an electric meter bypass inside the drywall of one bedroom, which was allowing the ballasts, fans and other electronics to operate without the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. meter.

Chae and Kong were arrested after the two men were caught April 29 following their alleged robbery of the Valleywood Drive pot farm, which was being operated by Aleen Lam, 72, and Virginia Pon, 65. Lam and Pon were also arrested and are in San Mateo County Jail on $100,000 bail after being charged with several felony counts in connection with possessing, cultivating and illegally storing marijuana and stealing electricity.

Police reports show that Chae and Kong were seen breaking into the front door of the Valleywood Drive residence and then leaving the neighborhood in a BMW. The men were stopped shortly after and Kong was in the driver's seat. Chae was the passenger.

The vehicle was registered to Kong and, after searching the vehicle, police found more than $12,000. Police also found a hydroponics business card, a vacuum-sealed bag that smelled of marijuana and a number of white dust masks.

According to police, one day later, officers searched Kong’s storage unit and found indoor marijuana cultivation equipment, including growing trays, high-pressure fans and light hoods.

Both men were facing three counts each of possession of an illegal substance with intent to sell and two counts of trespassing. However, a San Mateo County Superior Court judge dismissed three of the counts for both men.

Kong still faces two counts of trespassing and remains out of custody on $100,000 bail.