SYOSSET, NY — A 28-year-old Brooklyn man, Zheying Zheng, was arraigned on Christmas morning and is being held on a $250,000 bail for his alleged involvement in a scheme to steal 3,000 pounds of marijuana stored in a Syosset warehouse, valued at an estimated $6 million.
Zheng pleaded Not Guilty to charges of Burglary and Attempted Armed Robbery, both classified as C felonies. The arrest follows an investigation by Nassau County Police, who say Zheng and five other men plotted to steal the large quantity of marijuana, which was being stored at the warehouse.
According to the Assistant District Attorney, on the day of the attempted heist, five suspects arrived at the warehouse armed with guns, intending to steal the drugs. Zheng, however, was not at the scene of the crime but was allegedly waiting at a different warehouse rented by the suspects for storing the stolen marijuana.
However, the plan went awry when the marijuana’s owner, 37-year-old Sunde Zhang, was reportedly also armed. In an attempt to defend his property, Zhang shot one of the robbers, Wenqiang Zhou, in the face.
Upon hearing the gunshots, Muttontown-Brookville Police responded quickly to the scene, shutting down Underhill Boulevard in Syosset. They found Zhou bleeding from his injury inside the storage facility. Zhou was immediately taken to Nassau University Medical Center, where he was treated for his gunshot wound. Despite being a victim of the shooting, Zhou was later arrested and charged with Armed Burglary and Armed Robbery. He pleaded Not Guilty to the charges.
Zhang, who was arrested weeks later, faces serious charges including Attempted Murder, Possession of a Loaded Gun, and 1st Degree Marijuana Possession. After posting a $1 million bail, Zhang was released. He has retained attorney Peter Menoudakos.
A third individual, Junje Chen, 24, who was at the warehouse during the shooting, was also arrested. Chen was charged with 1st Degree Marijuana Possession and was released after pleading Not Guilty.
Zheng was arrested at his Bay Ridge, Brooklyn home on Christmas Eve. He was arraigned the following day before Judge Charles McQuair, who set his bail at $250,000. Zheng remains in custody at Nassau Correctional Center in Block E, where he awaits further proceedings.
Lori Golombek, a Mineola criminal lawyer, has been assigned to represent Zheng. All defendants involved in the incident are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation is ongoing as more details continue to emerge regarding the attempted heist and the roles of each suspect in the theft of the $6 million worth of marijuana.
