Federal authorities have charged Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute marijuana. The 82-year-old Democrat, a frequent critic of President Donald Trump, surrendered to authorities in Norfolk. Per NBC News, Lucas faces charges alongside half a dozen other people, including her daughters.
According to CNN, the charges also include conspiracy to launder money. The investigation reportedly began before the current administration, but the timing has drawn attention because it comes just 12 days before the midterm election. NBC noted that federal authorities typically avoid charges or investigative steps against political figures so close to an election.
Lucas has been a vocal advocate for legalizing marijuana in Virginia. The indictment reportedly alleges that Lucas and her alleged co-conspirators sold and kept illegal amounts of marijuana at various businesses and shops. It also claims Lucas received a bribery payment after helping an alleged co-conspirator try to secure a license to sell marijuana, and the Justice Department alleges she failed to report her financial interest in the entity on required ethics forms.
The indictment includes quotes from one alleged conversation
Investigators stated in the indictment that Lucas called an unidentified alleged co-conspirator in February to discuss the license and sharing the proceeds. Per CNN, investigators quoted Lucas as saying, “This is our last chance at generational wealth,” and, “I’ve got too old to not be greedy.”
NBC reported that Attorney General Todd Blanche traveled to Norfolk to announce the charges. “The Department of Justice intends to prove that Sen. Lucas violated the trust of the people of Portsmouth and Chesapeake, Virginia, and of her state Senate colleagues,” Blanche said. “Her first duty should have been looking out for her constituents before herself.”
In a statement about the charges, FBI Director Kash Patel alleged that Lucas worked with family and associates to build a “criminal marijuana enterprise,” per CNN. He claimed that she used her “position as Chairwoman of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee to insulate the enterprise from criminal scrutiny and influencing legislation to financially benefit themselves.”
Lucas addressed the charges in a statement on X, writing, “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.” She added, “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.”
Per NBC, her attorneys described Blanche’s news conference announcing the charges as “highly unusual” and misleading. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger also criticized the timing of the indictment, saying that while Lucas and her family deserve a chance to defend themselves, the move erodes public trust in the Department of Justice by ignoring the practice of avoiding significant investigative steps near an election.
Blanche has reportedly dismissed these concerns, saying, “It’s not even a rule; it’s a practice.” NBC noted that the DOJ has recently brought other controversial cases against Trump’s political targets, such as the federal immigration investigation into Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar.
NBC reported that Virginia allows adults over 21 to possess marijuana, but retail sales are currently illegal. As part of the investigation, federal agents previously searched Lucas’ office and a business she co-owns called The Cannabis Outlet.
Lucas is not up for re-election this year and has served in the Virginia Senate since 1992. The charges against her have not been proven in court.
Published: Oct 23, 2026 10:45 am