Virginia: Federal authorities in Northern Virginia have charged an Indian-American couple with drug trafficking and prostitution offenses linked to their motel, according to court records made public this week.
Kosha Sharma, 52, and her husband Tarun Sharma, 55, who run the Red Carpet Inn in Dumfries through their business Kosha LLC, appeared in federal court following their arrest. Prosecutors allege that the couple knowingly permitted and financially benefited from illegal activity on the property.
According to the criminal complaint, the Sharmas have operated the motel since May 2023 and reportedly took a share of profits from drug sales and prostitution, particularly on the third floor. They are facing charges including conspiracy to distribute controlled substances such as fentanyl—a federal offense that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years if convicted.
The investigation, which ran from late May to mid-December 2025, involved nine undercover prostitution transactions and 15 controlled purchases of drugs at the motel. Authorities said 11 of these purchases involved fentanyl and four involved cocaine.
Margo Waldon Pierce, 51, is alleged to have distributed narcotics in all 15 controlled drug transactions. Two other individuals, Joshua Roderick, 40, and Rashard Perrish Smith, 33, were also arrested in connection with the operation.
The case was a joint effort between the FBI, the Prince William County Police Department, and the Virginia State Police, highlighting a coordinated approach to tackling organized criminal activity in the region.
The couple’s court proceedings are ongoing, and prosecutors have indicated that evidence gathered during undercover operations will play a central role in the trial.
