RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas, one of the state’s most influential Democrats, was charged Thursday in connection with an alleged role leading a criminal enterprise that acquired and distributed large quantities of marijuana and laundered the proceeds, according to federal authorities.
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An indictment unsealed Thursday charged Lucas and six co-defendants, including several of her relatives, the Department of Justice said in a statement. A Justice Department spokesperson said Lucas self-surrendered on Thursday.
The charges, which include drug trafficking and money laundering, follow a May search by the FBI of Lucas’ hometown office and a cannabis shop in which she holds an ownership stake. At the time of the search, Lucas, a critic of Republican President Donald Trump’s administration, characterized the operation as an attempt to intimidate her.
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READ THE INDICTMENT: The 45-page indictment charges Lucas with Racketeering Conspiracy (Count 1), Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana (Count 2), Conspiracy to Launder Money (Count 3), Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Fraud (Count 4), and Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 5).
RICHMOND, VA – FEBRUARY 20: Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas (D-18) at work in the statehouse, on February, 20, 2019 in Richmond, VA. (Photo by Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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