Virginia State Senator L. Louise Lucas has been charged with drug trafficking and money laundering over allegations that she led a criminal group involved in buying and distributing large quantities of marijuana and laundering the money made from the business.
The 82-year-old Democrat was charged alongside six other people, including some of her relatives, after an indictment was made public on Thursday, according to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ).
A spokesperson for the department said Lucas had surrendered to the authorities.
The charges came months after the FBI searched Lucas’ office in her hometown and a cannabis shop in which she has a stake in May. At the time, Lucas, a vocal critic of US President Donald Trump’s administration, described the search as an attempt to intimidate her.
Reacting to the charges, Brian Woolfolk, chief counsel for the L. Louise Lucas Legal Defence Fund, said the defence team would wait for more details before making a fuller statement.
“This is the circus we always expected it to be, and we will wait for further details to have a more specific response,” Woolfolk said.
Lucas has served in the Virginia State Senate since 1992. She is currently the president pro tempore, a position that allows her to preside over the Senate when the lieutenant governor is absent.
She also chairs the influential Senate Finance Committee, which plays a major role in reviewing legislation that affects the state’s budget and spending.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the indictment accused Lucas and a group of relatives and associates of running a marijuana business for several years. According to the allegations, they used her political position to protect the business from criminal investigations and influence legislation for their financial benefit.
Patel said Lucas allegedly used her position as chair of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee to shield the business from scrutiny and influence decisions that could benefit the group financially.
He added that the FBI would work with the Justice Department to investigate the case and ensure that anyone found responsible for criminal activity was held accountable.
“No one is above the law,” Patel said.
