Louisa woman, ‘pop-up’ market drug dealer, faces up to 160-year sentence after record-breaking seizure
LOUISA COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A Louisa County woman could be sentenced to up to 160 years in prison after she was convicted Monday of dealing psychedelic drugs and marijuana at a weekly "pop-up farmers style market" in the county. On Monday, Dec. 2, 51-year-old Dawn Marie Morris of Louisa was convicted of selling drugs and marijuana, as well as perjury. The perjury charge is a result of Morris reportedly lying when applying for court-appointed council by "claiming she was poor," according to a press release from the Office of the Louisa County Commonwealth's Attorney. In September 2023, the Louisa County Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant on a Courthouse Road former storage facility, which Morris owned. According to the release, Morris hosted what was described as a weekly "pop-up farmers style market for smoking and vaping products." "Unknown to Morris, the Task Force previously bought Psilocyn, a Schedule I controlled substance, from her at the market," the release said. Is selling raw milk legal in Virginia? Louisa Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Robert Wood added that this "psilocyn" is known colloquially as "magic mushrooms" or just mushrooms. It is an illegal psychedelic drug. As the task force executed the warrant at the market, "people took off running to escape the property," according to the release. What authorities found on the market's tables ranged from food, smoking products, a variety of drugs -- including mushrooms -- and "mobile business called rolling buds." At Morris' table, authorities reportedly found 13 bags of different, labeled strands of marijuana. Multiple pounds of marijuana were found beneath the table. A second search warrant was then served on Morris' home, as authorities previously observed her storing items sold at the market there, according to the release. More mushrooms and marijuana, as well as drug packing materials, were found at the home. Authorities also seized almost $100,000 in cash. In addition to the funds found at Morris' home, authorities seized the cash associated with Morris at the market. The value of all assets recovered during this case was $432,000 -- a record-breaking amount for Louisa, according to the release. 75-year-old Henrico woman dies following crash on Laburnum Avenue “I am shocked at the brazen attitude that drug dealers thought they could set up an open drug market in Louisa County," said Rusty McGuire, the Louisa Commonwealth's Attorney, in the release. "We hope this case sends a strong message to drug dealers that if you pedal your poison in Louisa, you will lose your drugs, money and freedom.” Morris is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 3, 2025. She faces an up to 160-year prison sentence. She must also "take up all of the 'Higher Education' signs littered across Louisa County on public property for her vape business," according to the release. McGuire noted that this is the third felony drug conviction involving a vape company or someone associated with a vape company in Louisa.
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LOUISA COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A Louisa County woman could be sentenced to up to 160 years in prison after she was convicted Monday of dealing psychedelic drugs and marijuana at a weekly "pop-up farmers style market" in the county.
On Monday, Dec. 2, 51-year-old Dawn Marie Morris of Louisa was convicted of selling drugs and marijuana, as well as perjury. The perjury charge is a result of Morris reportedly lying when applying for court-appointed council by "claiming she was poor," according to a press release from the Office of the Louisa County Commonwealth's Attorney.
In September 2023, the Louisa County Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant on a Courthouse Road former storage facility, which Morris owned. According to the release, Morris hosted what was described as a weekly "pop-up farmers style market for smoking and vaping products."
"Unknown to Morris, the Task Force previously bought Psilocyn, a Schedule I controlled substance, from her at the market," the release said.
Is selling raw milk legal in Virginia?
Louisa Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Robert Wood added that this "psilocyn" is known colloquially as "magic mushrooms" or just mushrooms. It is an illegal psychedelic drug.
As the task force executed the warrant at the market, "people took off running to escape the property," according to the release. What authorities found on the market's tables ranged from food, smoking products, a variety of drugs -- including mushrooms -- and "mobile business called rolling buds."
At Morris' table, authorities reportedly found 13 bags of different, labeled strands of marijuana. Multiple pounds of marijuana were found beneath the table.
A second search warrant was then served on Morris' home, as authorities previously observed her storing items sold at the market there, according to the release. More mushrooms and marijuana, as well as drug packing materials, were found at the home. Authorities also seized almost $100,000 in cash.
In addition to the funds found at Morris' home, authorities seized the cash associated with Morris at the market. The value of all assets recovered during this case was $432,000 -- a record-breaking amount for Louisa, according to the release.
75-year-old Henrico woman dies following crash on Laburnum Avenue
“I am shocked at the brazen attitude that drug dealers thought they could set up an open drug market in Louisa County," said Rusty McGuire, the Louisa Commonwealth's Attorney, in the release. "We hope this case sends a strong message to drug dealers that if you pedal your poison in Louisa, you will lose your drugs, money and freedom.”
Morris is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 3, 2025. She faces an up to 160-year prison sentence. She must also "take up all of the 'Higher Education' signs littered across Louisa County on public property for her vape business," according to the release.
McGuire noted that this is the third felony drug conviction involving a vape company or someone associated with a vape company in Louisa.
