Sunday

08-17-2025 Vol 2055

Temple City Man Charged with Multiple Murders Tied to Illegal Cannabis Explosions

Ted Chien, a 53-year-old resident of Temple City, faces serious legal repercussions as he has been charged with five counts of murder in connection with the deaths of five individuals associated with illicit cannabis operations in Los Angeles County.

The charges stem from two tragic incidents: a fiery explosion at a warehouse in Irwindale that claimed the lives of four individuals, and a fatal fire at an illegal cannabis lab in South El Monte.

The victims of the warehouse explosion on October 9, 2023, have been identified as Yi Luo, 47, from Baldwin Park; Xin Chen, 59, from Rosemead; Guangqi Fu, 35, from Chino; and Quizhuo Liang, 35, from Monterey Park.

Additionally, Bordin ‘Tony’ Sikarin, 57, from Buena Park, died in a fire connected to a separate incident at the South El Monte lab on November 18, 2024.

According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the warehouse located on Arrow Highway was allegedly being utilized for honey oil extraction, which is part of an illegal cannabis operation.

Chien’s murder charges include a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, which raises the stakes significantly.

Prosecutors are currently deliberating whether to pursue the death penalty against Chien.

In addition to the murder charges, he is also facing severe charges including two felony counts of arson causing great bodily injury, three felony counts pertaining to maintaining a location for selling or using controlled substances, and eight felony counts of manufacturing controlled substances.

Chien’s alleged accomplice, 55-year-old Han Quan Jiao from Rosemead, is charged with one count of murder linked to Sikarin’s death.

Jiao also faces accusations of arson causing great bodily injury, along with three counts of maintaining a place for selling or using controlled substances and eight counts of manufacturing a controlled substance.

If found guilty of these charges, he could be sentenced up to life in prison.

Both Chien and Jiao are expected to appear in court for arraignment on September 11 in downtown Los Angeles.

The authorities claim that Chien and Jiao continued their illegal cannabis operations even after the deaths of five employees, showing a blatant disregard for safety and legality.

In addition to the primary suspects, four other defendants have been implicated, linked to producing concentrated cannabis.

These individuals, Xiaolong Deng, 36; Chengyan Xu, 61; Christopher Reyes, 30; and Frank Herrera, 35, are collectively charged with drug-related offenses.

They each face charges of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance.

Moreover, Xu is facing two counts related to manufacturing, compounding, or producing a controlled substance, while Deng, Reyes, and Herrera each are charged with one count of the same offense.

Deng, Xu, and Reyes pleaded not guilty in their recent court appearance and are scheduled to return to court on September 24 for a preliminary hearing.

The hearing will determine if there is adequate evidence to proceed to trial against them.

If convicted, Deng, Reyes, and Herrera could face a maximum of seven years in prison, whereas Xu could face a lengthy maximum sentence of eight years and eight months.

District Attorney Nathan Hochman expressed the seriousness of the illegal cannabis situation, stating, “This case shows the deadly and disastrous results when illegal cannabis operations recklessly put greed over the safety of their employees and neighbors.”

He reiterated that while cannabis is legal in California, high-risk, illegal operations of this nature are unacceptable.

In a related series of enforcement actions, over 150 law enforcement agents executed search warrants at nine different locations across Los Angeles County.

This operation uncovered a large-scale lab in La Verne, which is located adjacent to the San Gabriel Mountains, as part of the multi-agency investigation dubbed ‘Operation Sugar Diamond.’

The ongoing investigation suggests a coordinated effort to combat the illegal cannabis trade and to ensure accountability for those engaged in hazardous operations.

image source from:patch

Charlotte Hayes