DOJ Announce Indictment of Virginia Senator Louise Lucas

State of VA - One of the most powerful lawmakers in Virginia is now facing federal charges. A grand jury has indicted State Senator Lillie Louise Lucas, 82, of Portsmouth, VA, in a case that centers on the sale of marijuana.

Federal prosecutors say Lucas led a group made up of family members and close associates. They call it the "Lucas Enterprise." The indictment says the group sold large amounts of marijuana and hid the money it made.

The eight-count indictment charges seven people in total. The charges include racketeering conspiracy, money laundering, bribery-related fraud, and wire fraud. They also include keeping places used for drug activity and having guns to protect a drug business.

Lucas has been in the Virginia Senate since 1991. She has served as president pro tempore since 2020. She also leads the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, which handles the state budget, taxes, and state spending.

Prosecutors say Lucas used that power to keep the business safe from law enforcement. They also claim she tried to shape laws in ways that would help the group make money. The FBI estimates the scheme lasted five years and was worth about $4.5 million.

The indictment says Lucas approved and directed what the group did. That includes arranging to buy and sell 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. She is also accused of overseeing how the money from those sales was laundered.

According to the indictment, the story goes back to 2019. That year, Lucas and Carlton Upton Jr., 54, of Chesapeake, VA, became business partners in a company called VA Freedom Life. The company served as the parent business for The CBD Shoppe and The Cannabis Outlet.

Upton ran The CBD Shoppe. Prosecutors say he worked with Lucas to try to get a recreational marijuana license for the group.

In April 2020, Upton was accused of making false statements on a federal Economic Injury Disaster Loan application for the company. That loan was approved for $11,800.

In 2021, Lucas and her daughter, Lisa Lucas-Burke, opened The Cannabis Outlet in Portsmouth. The indictment says another daughter, Theresa Lucas-Lamb, and her son, Ryan Eichelberger, bought marijuana for the group. Prosecutors say the two also oversaw its sale and ran The Cannabis Outlet.

On Feb. 1, 2022, Lucas filed a state ethics form that lawmakers must turn in each year. On that form, she listed herself as President and CEO of VA Freedom Life.

In August 2022, prosecutors say Lucas paid $750,000 to buy full ownership of another business. That business was a shell company set up for someone else who expected to receive a recreational marijuana license in Virginia. The indictment says Lucas never reported that ownership on her required ethics forms.

Prosecutors also claim Lucas met with that person at her office in the state capitol complex to collect part of the money back. The indictment says she then spoke with other officials, including lawmakers, about whether that person should qualify for a license. Prosecutors say her support depended on whether she received a bribe.

On May 6, FBI agents searched both The Cannabis Outlet and The CBD Shoppe with federal warrants. Agents found marijuana and guns at both stores.

Federal leaders spoke about the case after the indictment was announced.

"Louise Lucas has served in a position of public trust in the Commonwealth of Virginia for over three decades," said Attorney General Todd Blanche. "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. Our federal prosecutors will continue to be guided by the facts and evidence that led a grand jury to indict Ms. Lucas and her alleged co-conspirators."

"This indictment alleges that a sitting Virginia State Senator led a criminal organization that exploited access and influence to facilitate drug trafficking and other offenses," said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Theophani K. Stamos for the Eastern District of Virginia. "Public office is a position of trust and should never be abused for personal gain. I am grateful to the agents and prosecutors whose dedication and tireless work throughout this years-long investigation has culminated in this indictment."

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric M. Hurt and Brian J. Samuels of the Eastern District of Virginia are handling the case.  

Disclosure: All individuals mentioned in this article are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Eastern Shore Undercover® does not express or imply any opinion regarding the incident reported.

Source: DOJ Indictment