NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Four of the seven co-defendants in the case involving State Sen. Louise Lucas pleaded not guilty during an arraignment on Thursday afternoon at the federal courthouse.
Lisa Lucas-Burke, who is Lucas' daughter, was among those pleading not guilty. Outside of court, she remained defiant.
"I'm confident that my attorneys are going to take very good case of the Lucas family," she said. "We're good people. We're not who they made us out to be at all."
The three others include Ryan Eichelberger, who is Lucas' grandson, Carlton Upton, Jr., a business partner, and Tameka Johnson, an associate of Eichelberger and Upton.
The other three did not comment outside of court, but Johnson's attorney briefly spoke with reporters.
"All I can tell you the indictment so far speaks for itself. We don't have the discovery, so so far we don't have any proof that those allegations are in fact correct ," said attorney Fernando Groene.
In addition to pleading not guilty, all four requested a jury trial. The judge didn't set a date yet, but said it could be next summer. Attorneys expect it could last for several weeks.
"My mom does a lot of good for people and they don't life that," said Lucas-Burke.
Prosecutors say Sen. Lucas, several relatives, and business partners ran a criminal enterprise that sold marijuana illegally.
The FBI raided Lucas' businesses in May. New documents in the case say investigators made multiple controlled purchases of marijuana. They also say they have records for 200 bank accounts connected to the case, hundreds of hours of surveillance, and dozens of hours of wiretap recordings.
Despite being indicted, Lucas-Burke was just elected to the Portsmouth City Council once again.
"I've already had meetings with all my colleagues and they welcome me with open arms, just like the citizens who voted for me to be there," she said.
Sen. Lucas and the others in the case are due in court Monday to be arraigned. Lucas-Burke said her mom will also plead not guilty.
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