Prince William

Five Defendants Make Initial Court Appearance in Dumfries Trafficking Case

Police outside the Red Carpet Inn near Dumfries on Jan. 16, 2026. [Submitted photo]
“Drug trafficking and sex trafficking devastate communities by exploiting vulnerable individuals and fueling violence and addiction,” U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia said.

“Our office is committed to dismantling criminal enterprises that profit from human suffering.” “These arrests stem from a joint investigation between the FBI, the Prince William County Police Department, and the Virginia State Police,” U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia said.

Following a raid yesterday, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, federal authorities allege that since May 2023, Kosha and Tarun Sharma, who operate the Red Carpet Inn in Dumfries, took a cut of profits from illegal activity on the motel’s third floor. Between May and December 2025, law enforcement conducted controlled buys of fentanyl and cocaine and prostitution encounters tied to the location. Four other individuals — Margo Waldon Pierce, Joshua Reddick, and Rashard Perrish Smith — were arrested on related charges. All defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, facing a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison if convicted.

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