Boulevard

A federal grand jury sitting in San Diego has indicted the operator of the Johnson Swine Farm near Boulevard on charges that include importation and possession of about 22,000 pounds of marijuana with the intent to distribute it, the U. S. attorney’s office announced Wednesday afternoon.

The jury returned two indictments against Elbert L. Johnson, 52, a former resident of Atoka County, Okla.

In one indictment, Johnson is charged with two counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in 1984 (1 pound) and 1987 (5 pounds). In the other indictment, Johnson is charged in 22 counts with the importation and possession of 22,000 pounds of marijuana with intent to distribute during a nine-month period from July, 1984, to April, 1985.

The 22,000 pounds of marijuana were moved in 1-ton lots from Mexico to the swine farm and later transported to undisclosed locations, according to the indictment.

In the first indictment, Johnson could be sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined $250,000 on 11 importation counts, and the same for 11 possession counts.

In the latter indictment, Johnson could be sentenced to 15 years and a $25,000 fine on the first count, and 5 to 40 years with a $2-million fine on the second count.

He was being held in the Muskogee, Okla., jail Wednesday. No bail was set.