An Indian-origin couple found their names etched in infamy this week after a shocking FBI raid uncovered a hidden crime hub at a motel they operated in Virginia, USA. 52-year-old Kosha Sharma, aka Ma or Mama K, and 55-year-old Tarun Sharma, aka Pop or Pa, were arrested and charged over alleged criminal activity involving drug and sex trafficking in and around the Red Carpet Inn in Dumfries, as per an official US Justice Department news release.

Three other defendants identified as Margo Waldon Pierce, Joshua Roderick and Rashard Perrish Smith were also taken into custody early January 15 morning (US time). All five of these people have been charged with conspiracy to contribute controlled substances, including fentanyl. If convicted, they could face a mandatory prison sentence of at least 10 years.

As established in the Department of Justice’s news release dated January 16, the five defendants, including the Indian-origin Sharma couple, made their initial court appearance on Friday.

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Indian-origin couple accused of drug and sex trafficking: FBI raids Virginia motel

According to FOX 5, a “coordinated operation” was jointly carried out by the FBI and Prince William County police after a multi-year investigation into sex trafficking and drug distribution at the motel on Dumfries Road. Authorities pulled into the Red Carpet Inn’s parking lot, with guns at the ready, just before 6 am on January 15, as per the US report.

All five defendants named above were arrested at the scene. Surveillance video of the incident obtained by local news outlet FOX 5 captured the raid action on camera.

The raid in question was a result of law enforcement conducting nine prostitution encounters and 15 controlled purchases of fentanyl at the Red Carpet Inn from May 28, 2025, through December 17, 2025. Of those purchases, 11 were for fentanyl, while four others for cocaine.

What do we know about the Indian-origin couple behind the Red Carpet Inn?

Citing court documents, the DOJ officially revealed that Kosha and Tarun Sharma, and Kosha LLC have been leasing and operating the Red Carpet Inn as a business since May 2023.

The criminal complaint established the Sharmas as a married couple, while alleging that they took a cut of the profits generated from illegal activity conducted on the third floor of the hotel.

Assistant US Attorneys Catherine Rosenberg and Megan Braun have been named as the leading prosecutors in the case. Meanwhile, the FBI has collaborated with the Prince William County Department and Virginia State Police to investigate it.

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“Drug trafficking and sex trafficking devastate communities by exploiting vulnerable individuals and fueling violence and addiction,” said Lindsey Halligan, US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, in a statement highlighted in the DOJ press 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.”

On the other hand, Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division hailed the joint investigation between the FBI, the Prince William County Police Department, and the Virginia State Police.

“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,” he said.