The Department of Justice announced Thursday that it arrested and charged Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas with drug trafficking and money laundering, months after federal agents raided her office.
Ms. Lucas, a Democrat who has been a steadfast critic of President Trump, is among six other defendants who are also facing charges. She surrendered to authorities Thursday, the DOJ said.
FBI agents in May searched her Portsmouth office as well as a cannabis shop in which she has a financial stake.
People were interested in these podcasts
Ms. Lucas, who is a major proponent of marijuana legalization in the commonwealth, partnered in opening The Cannabis Outlet in 2021.
While recreational marijuana sales are not legal in Virginia, her store does sell hemp and CBD products.
The FBI said the store is part of a “criminal marijuana enterprise” that involves the Democrat.
“Lucas and a close-knit group of family members and associates orchestrated a multi-year scheme to enrich their own criminal marijuana enterprise, ’the Lucas Enterprise’ — using Lucas’ position as Chairwoman of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee to insulate the enterprise from criminal scrutiny and influencing legislation to financially benefit themselves,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement.
Ms. Lucas said the springtime raid was meant to intimidate her.
The senator’s attorneys also said that “this is the circus we always expected it to be.”
“We will wait for further details to have a more specific response,” Brian Woolfolk, chief counsel for the L. Louise Lucas Legal Defense Fund, told The Associated Press.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.