Virginia Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas, a Democrat, was arrested by federal agents on Thursday on a litany of felony charges.
Fox News’ Bill Melugin posted about the arrest on X, writing, “BREAKING UPDATE: Virginia’s Democratic Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas has been arrested by the Feds and is now in federal custody. She is charged w/ with Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, Fraud, and Firearms Charge. DOJ press conference imminent.”
He also included a post from earlier this year, when the FBI raided her office, and highlighted that Lucas is a confidant of Virginia’s Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
“FoxNews is on scene in Portsmouth, VA where the FBI is raiding the office of Virginia Senate President Pro Tempore L Louise Lucas, a Democrat and close ally of VA Governor Spanberger,” the previous post read.
“Fed law enforcement sources tell FOX this is in connection to a major corruption probe, and the FBI is serving multiple search warrants, approved by a federal judge, at her office and a next door cannabis dispensary. More to come with correspondent @AlexHoganTV, who reports that Lucas just showed up on scene as the FBI searches her office.”
BREAKING UPDATE: Virginia’s Democratic Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas has been arrested by the Feds and is now in federal custody. She is charged w/ with Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, Fraud, and Firearms Charge. DOJ press conference imminent.
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) October 22, 2026
A federal grand jury in Virginia indicted Lucas, along with six other individuals, including members of her family, CNN reported.
According to the charges, she was involved in a racketeering conspiracy to sell marijuana and then launder the funds.
The indictment stated that Lucas, 82, has lobbied for marijuana legalization and oversaw businesses that bought and sold illegal amounts of the drug within Virginia to increase her family’s net worth.
Should there be stricter consequences for government officials involved in serious crime?
Yes, absolutely
93% (408 votes)
Only if they are convicted
6% (27 votes)
No, the current law is fine
1% (3 votes)
FBI Director Kash Patel issued a statement about the case and said Lucas used “a close-knit group of family members and associates” to establish a “criminal marijuana enterprise.”
He added 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.”
A Department of Justice representative said Lucas surrendered to authorities of her own volition.
“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,” Lucas said in a statement on Thursday. “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.”
Lucas is not up for reelection this November.
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