Ex-Portsmouth prosecutor pleaded guilty to federal marijuana charges

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — A former Portsmouth assistant commonwealth’s attorney pleaded guilty today to federal marijuana charges.

According to court documents, from March 2021 until May 2022, Matthew Taylor Morris and three co-conspirators, Donald Rogers, Nicholas Capehard, and Jeffery Sines, sold large quantities of marijuana in Hampton Roads.

Rogers, who according to court documents was the owner of VA Premier Pawn, bought “wholesale quantities” of marijuana, THC vape pens, THC wax and THC edibles and paid to import them into Virginia. Rogers would then distribute these products to Morris, Capehard and Sines for them to sell. Morris sold 15 pounds of marijuana a month, including to his legal clients.

For the little more than a year this was all happening, Rogers stored about 1,000 pounds of marijuana and marijuana products at Morris’ law office in Virginia Beach. Morris helped Rogers move the drugs in and out of the office using duffel bags.

One of the pieces of evidence mentioned in the court documents is a picture of Capehart standing in front of more than $100,000 in cash. Morris’ diploma and legal credentials were seen on the wall behind Capehart.

In April 2021, Capehart was on vacation in Las Vegas and asked Morris for advice on how to bring drugs back to Hampton Roads. Morris told him via text to buy souvenirs and place the drugs in the souvenirs wrapped tightly in Saran Wrap. Morris further advised him to mail the souvenirs to his law office and “write legal mail on there somewhere too.” He said it would “make it privileged” and harder for cops to get a search warrant for the package.

Morris faces up to 10 years in behind bars and a $500,000 fine when he is sentenced on Jan. 22, though he could serve as little as four years “supervised release.”

According to a press release from the Department of Justice, “actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.”

Sines also pleaded guilty today and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7. He faces up to 40 years in prison. Rogers is expected to plead guilty on Sept. 30 and Capehart on Oct. 3.

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