Eighty-two-year-old Virginia state Senator L. Louise Lucas, the president pro tempore of the Virginia Senate and chairwoman of its Finance and Appropriations Committee, has been indicted by federal authorities in a case involving alleged marijuana trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, fraud, and firearms offenses.

The indictment, unsealed Thursday, names Lucas as a key leader within an alleged multi-year criminal enterprise operated through family members and associates. Prosecutors claim the operation—referred to internally as the “Lucas Enterprise”—included distribution of at least 100 kilograms of marijuana, illicit money laundering, and coordination with state legislative processes.

A wiretap transcript cited in the indictment reveals Lucas allegedly stated during a February 9 phone call about recreational cannabis legislation: “I’ve got too old to not be greedy.” Federal authorities assert that Lucas used her influential position in Virginia government—including oversight of budgetary legislation as chairwoman of the Finance and Appropriations Committee—to facilitate and protect the enterprise.

The investigation followed FBI searches conducted in May at Lucas’s Portsmouth office and The Cannabis Outlet, a business she owns. Lucas has long advocated for cannabis legalization while Virginia remains a state that prohibits recreational retail sales.

All charges remain allegations contained within an indictment; Lucas and other defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. Prosecutors allege the scheme operated over multiple years with Lucas directing financial activities and legislative influence to benefit the enterprise, though defense attorneys have stated they will await further details before responding to the charges.