Indian-origin couple Kosha Sharma and Tarun Sharma arrested after FBI raid on Virginia. Photo: X/Alexandria Sheriff's Office.
An Indian-origin couple is at the center of a federal investigation in the United States after authorities uncovered an alleged drug and sex trafficking operation at a Virginia motel they leased and managed. Kosha Sharma, 52, known as “Ma” or “Mama K,” and Tarun Sharma, 55, referred to as “Pop” or “Pa,” were arrested following an FBI-led raid at the Red Carpet Inn in Dumfries, according to an official release from the US Department of Justice (DOJ).
Federal prosecutors allege the couple used portions of the motel to conduct illegal activities while continuing normal operations for unsuspecting guests.
Court documents reveal that Kosha Sharma and Tarun Sharma, through Kosha LLC, leased and operated the Red Carpet Inn since May 2023. Federal attorneys in northern Virginia claim that while the motel’s lower floors accommodated paying guests, the third floor was allegedly used for drug sales and prostitution.
The couple is accused of managing these operations from within the motel, keeping the alleged criminal activities separate from areas used by regular patrons.
Investigators say the illicit operation involved repeated drug transactions and prostitution encounters over several months. Undercover operations conducted at the Red Carpet Inn between May 28, 2025, and December 17, 2025, documented nine prostitution encounters and 15 controlled drug purchases. Of these, 11 involved fentanyl, while four involved cocaine, according to U.S. law enforcement reports.
The investigation culminated in a coordinated raid by the FBI and Prince William County Police. Authorities arrived at the Red Carpet Inn on Dumfries Road shortly before 6 a.m. on January 15, weapons drawn.
All five individuals named in the case, including Kosha Sharma, and Tarun Sharma were arrested at the motel. Surveillance footage obtained by local news outlet FOX 5 captured agents moving into the parking lot and surrounding the premises.
Along with Kosha Sharma and Tarun Sharma, the other arrestees were identified as Margo Waldon Pierce, Joshua Roderick, and Rashard Perrish Smith.
All five defendants are facing charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl. If convicted, they could face a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years, US authorities said.
In a press release issued on January 16, the DOJ confirmed that the defendants made their first court appearance on Friday. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine Rosenberg and Megan Braun have been appointed as the primary prosecutors in the case.
“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, in a statement included in the DOJ release.
“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,” Halligan added.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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