Top Democrat Louise Lucas, 82, Arrested on Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Charges Tied to Family Marijuana Empire
Virginia state senator L. Louise Lucas has been arrested in a drug bust.
Oct. 22 2026, Published 4:45 p.m. ET
An 82-year-old prominent Democrat from Virginia has been arrested and charged with racketeering and money laundering stemming from a marijuana business she co-owns, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
But Virginia state senator L. Louise Lucas insists she's being unfairly targeted by Donald Trump.
L. Louise Lucas has a Lifetime of Service
L. Louise Lucas is accused of running a 'criminal enterprise.'
Lucas, one of the state’s most powerful Democrats, was charged Thursday, October 22, with leading what authorities dubbed a "wide-ranging criminal enterprise" that acquired and distributed large quantities of marijuana and laundered the proceeds.
Five other members of her family were arrested as well, including her two daughters and a grandson, all with connections to a marijuana dispensary called The Cannabis Outlet in Portsmouth, Va.
According to the indictment, Lucas "used her political position in the Virginia state senate to insulate the Lucas enterprise from criminal scrutiny, to further the goal of the wealth accumulation for the Lucas Enterprise and to seek legislation benefiting the Lucas Enterprise."
L. Louise Lucas Accused of Putting Herself Ahead of Her Constituents
FBI Director Kash Patel laid out the allegations against her.
At a press conference, FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Todd Blanche detailed the accusations.
"Lucas, for the last nearly five years, accumulated nearly $5 million in ill-gotten gains through her criminal enterprise," Patel told reporters. "The purpose of her enterprise included trafficking large quantities of illegal marijuana, creating generational wealth for members and associates of her criminal enterprise, recycling drug proceeds to expand the operation that she launched and created, and steering marijuana licenses to entities in which members held financial interest."
Blanche accused the long-serving Democrat of using her political power to keep prying eyes at bay.
"[Lucas] put her own financial interests before the people she was elected to serve,” Blanche blasted.
Virginia's Drug Laws Explained
Recreational use of marijuana is not yet fully legal in Virginia.
Recreational marijuana dispensaries are not yet legal in Virginia, but the drug has been cleared for medical use in the state. According to investigators, law enforcement made multiple controlled purchases of marijuana from Lucas' shop, which purported to sell hemp products, in 2024 and 2025.
In addition to drug and money laundering charges, Lucas faces a charge of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and maintaining a drug-involved premises.
Lucas is a big proponent of legalizing the drug in the state outright, but prosecutors claimed that is only for her own financial benefit, alleging in her indictment that she sent text messages about making "a lot of money" through legalization.
In a phone call from February 2026, Lucas allegedly told a co-conspirator she had her "last chance at generational wealth," and said she had "gotten too old not to be greedy."
L. Louise Lucas Lashes Out
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Lucas lashed out at the Trump administration in return.
In response, her lawyer accused the Trump administration of trying to intimidate one of its most vocal objectors.
"This is the circus we always expected it to be," said Brian Woolfolk, chief counsel for the L. Louise Lucas Legal Defense Fund.
Lewis lashed out as well, saying in a statement, "Today, the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the full weight of the federal government have been wielded against an 82-year-old great-grandmother.
"I grew up under Jim Crow. I’ve seen what happens when people in power try to silence those who stand up to them. I spent my life fighting back, and I'm not stopping now."
She added, "I'm not new to this. I'm true to this. I will not be intimidated. I will not be bullied. And I will not back down."
However, Blanche said that "we don’t do political paybacks" and that the criminal investigation "started long before President Trump was reelected."
"This isn’t about us trying to micromanage states' decisions about the marijuana laws," Blanche said.
