5 charged in sex trafficking, drug distribution operation at Dumfries motel
5 charged in alleged prostitution, drug trafficking operation at Dumfries motel
Five suspects accused of participating in a drug trafficking and prostitution operation made their first appearance in a Prince William County court on Friday.
DUMFRIES, Va. - Five suspects accused of participating in a drug trafficking and prostitution operation made their first appearance in a Prince William County court on Friday.
The backstory:
Just before 6 a.m. on Jan. 15, local and federal authorities pulled into the parking lot of the Red Carpet Inn in Dumfries, and with guns drawn, they made their way inside.
The FBI and Prince William County police say this was "a coordinated operation," following a multi-year investigation into sex trafficking and drug distribution at the motel on Dumfries Road.
Five people were taken into custody. They have been identified as Kosha and Tarun Sharma – who are married, Margo Waldon Pierce, Joshua Roderick and Rashard Perrish Smith.
They are all charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl. If convicted, they face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison.
READ MORE:
What we know:
FOX 5 obtained surveillance video showing the moment early Thursday morning when law enforcement raided the Red Carpet Inn in Dumfries.
Police confirmed that multiple people were taken into custody during the raid. Federal prosecutors now say they were the operators of a northern Virginia motel being used as a hub for drug trafficking and prostitution.
According to court documents, 52-year-old Kosha Sharma – known as aka Ma or Mama K – and 55-year-old Tarun Sharma – aka Pop or Pa – and Kosha LLC, were leasing and operating the Red Carpet Inn since May 2023.
The criminal complaint alleges that Kosha and Tarun Sharma, who are married, were taking a cut of the profits made from drugs and prostitution on the third floor of the hotel.
Officials say that from May 28, 2025, through Dec. 17, 2025, law enforcement conducted nine prostitution encounters and 15 controlled purchases of fentanyl at the Red Carpet Inn. Eleven of the controlled purchases were for fentanyl, the other four for cocaine.
What they're saying:
Prosecutors offered statements in a release on Friday.
"Drug trafficking and sex trafficking devastate communities by exploiting vulnerable individuals and fueling violence and addiction," said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. "Our office is committed to dismantling criminal enterprises that profit from human suffering. Working alongside our law enforcement partners, we will continue to hold offenders accountable and disrupt the cycles of exploitation that threaten our communities."
"These arrests stem from a joint investigation between the FBI, the Prince William County Police Department, and the Virginia State Police," said Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division. "I want to thank our partners for the investigative work they have done to further this investigation and to support one of our top priorities — combating violent crime. The FBI will continue to collaborate with federal and local law enforcement agencies to dismantle drug and sex trafficking rings and bring traffickers to justice."