Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas charged in alleged marijuana enterprise, Justice Department says

As of 8:39 a.m. ET, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026

Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas has been charged in a federal indictment that accuses her of leading a criminal marijuana distribution enterprise, the Justice Department said Thursday, Oct. 22.

The department said Lucas, 82, of Portsmouth, faces drug trafficking, money laundering, fraud and firearms charges. It said an eight-count indictment charged seven defendants for their roles in an alleged racketeering conspiracy. Lucas and six other people, including members of her family, were charged, the BBC reported.

According to the indictment, Lucas led what prosecutors call the "Lucas Enterprise" and allegedly arranged for the acquisition and distribution of 100 kilograms or more of marijuana and supervised the laundering of proceeds, the Justice Department said. Prosecutors allege she used her political position to shield the enterprise from criminal scrutiny and to influence legislation that benefited it.

"An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law," the department said.

What Lucas and her lawyer say

"I will not be intimidated," Lucas wrote on X, according to the BBC. "I will not be bullied. And I will not back down."

Her attorney, Anthony Capozzolo, told the BBC that Lucas would plead not guilty and that she "denies these charges in their entirety," the BBC reported.

What officials say

"The charges alleged in this indictment reveal the behavior of a public servant who put her own financial interests before the people she was elected to serve," Attorney General Todd Blanche said in the department's release.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the indictment alleges "a five-year scheme worth an estimated $4.5 million."

Lucas was elected to the Virginia Senate in 1991, has been president pro tempore since 2020 and chairs the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, according to the Justice Department. The FBI searched two cannabis businesses linked to the case on May 6, the department said.

Early voting is under way for the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

What is not known

The Justice Department release does not list which of the eight counts each defendant faces. A court date was not given in the release.