Virginia Sen. L. Louise Lucas charged in federal marijuana racketeering case
Documents unsealed less than two weeks before the midterm election accuse the 82-year-old Democratic senator and six others, including family, of a $4.5 million marijuana scheme.
At a glance
- Virginia Sen. L. Louise Lucas, 82, was charged with leading an alleged marijuana racketeering conspiracy worth an estimated $4.5 million.
- Six other defendants, including her two daughters and a grandson, face charges; Lucas and the others are in custody, the attorney general said.
- Lucas said she will not be intimidated, while Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department does not do "political paybacks."
Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas, 82, has been charged in a federal indictment with leading an alleged marijuana racketeering conspiracy that prosecutors say involved members of her family, according to court documents unsealed Thursday. The case became public less than two weeks before midterm elections that will decide which party controls Congress.
The indictment and the FBI describe a five-year scheme, worth an estimated $4.5 million, that obtained and illegally distributed "large quantities of illegal marijuana" and sought to secure "generational wealth" for those involved. Lucas, a Democrat first elected in 1991, is president pro tempore of the state Senate and chairs its Finance and Appropriations Committee. She is not on the ballot this year.
Charges and custody
Lucas faces racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana; conspiracy to launder money; conspiracy to commit honest services fraud; and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Attorney General Todd Blanche said she is in custody with other defendants and is scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge in U.S. District Court in Norfolk at 2:30 p.m. ET Thursday.
Six other people are charged, including Lucas's two daughters and her grandson, Ryan Eichelbeger. One daughter, Lisa Lucas-Burke, is running for mayor of Portsmouth.
The indictment alleges Lucas "was the leader of the enterprise," arranged the acquisition and distribution of marijuana, supervised the laundering of proceeds, used her political influence in an attempt to shape Virginia legislation for the benefit of herself and her family, and maintained a premises for marijuana distribution. It names two stores, The Cannabis Outlet and the CBD Shoppe. The Justice Department said FBI agents executed search warrants at both on May 6 and recovered marijuana and firearms.
Alleged acts and responses
The indictment describes an April 2022 meeting at Lucas's office with her two daughters and an indicted co-conspirator, where, it says, Lucas asked whether the person was in law enforcement before buying three to five pounds of marijuana with a $6,600 check from Lisa Lucas-Burke made out to "Freedom is Dope." In a February 2026 call, it says, Lucas discussed recreational marijuana legislation pending in the General Assembly and the possibility of a co-conspirator receiving a licence and sharing the proceeds, saying "this is our last chance at generational wealth." The indictment also says a senior law enforcement officer hired in 2022 warned Lucas that selling marijuana was illegal and "was going to get her in trouble one day."
The grand jury issued the indictment on Oct. 14, and the charges come five months after agents searched Lucas's Portsmouth office.
Lucas, a critic of President Donald Trump, helped lead an ultimately failed effort to redraw Virginia's congressional map and has supported legalizing marijuana. In a statement on X, she said the "full weight of the federal government" had been wielded against "an 82-year-old great-grandmother," adding: "I will not be intimidated. I will not be bullied. And I will not back down."
Asked about her attorney's argument that the case is political, Blanche said, "We don't do political paybacks," noting the investigation began before the current administration and that a grand jury found sufficient evidence. "Is the timing proper? And the conclusion of that is yes," he said. Gov. Abigail Spanberger said Lucas is presumed innocent and that "the timing of this indictment undermines" the Justice Department's longstanding practice of avoiding legal action close to an election.
Source: CNBC.
Questions and answers
- Who is L. Louise Lucas?
- She is an 82-year-old Democratic Virginia state senator first elected in 1991. She serves as the Senate's president pro tempore, chairs its Finance and Appropriations Committee, and is a critic of President Donald Trump.
- What is she accused of?
- A federal indictment alleges she led a five-year marijuana racketeering conspiracy worth about $4.5 million and used her political influence to protect the operation. Six others, including family members, are also charged.
- Why is the timing of the indictment disputed?
- It was unsealed less than two weeks before the midterm elections. Gov. Abigail Spanberger said the timing undermines Justice Department policy, while Attorney General Todd Blanche said both the investigation and its timing were proper.
