The Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board announced the law license for Matthew Taylor Morris has been revoked after the former Portsmouth prosecutor pled guilty to federal drug charges on Sept. 24.
13 News Now reported Morris resigned from his position as assistant commonwealth’s attorney for Portsmouth on Sept. 6 amid proceedings in the federal drug conspiracy case.
Morris admitted to his role in an operation the feds refer to as the Rogers Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO), federal documents show.
In 2021, Morris introduced Donald Thomas Rogers, a 35-year-old Portsmouth man to Nicholas Cameron Capehart, a 30-year-old from Norfolk. Capehart and Rogers were both in the THC business, and Morris admitted he made the connection thinking Capehart would supply Rogers. But they discovered that Rogers was actually moving larger quantities than Capehart, so Rogers began to supply him, Morris, and others, the documents show.
Morris also referred customers, including his legal clients, to Rogers for the illegal purchase of THC products, said a statement from US Attorney Jessica Alba’s office.
Rogers was the owner of VA Premier Pawn, a federal firearms licensee (FFL) authorized to sell guns. He bought THC products, including marijuana, vape pens, wax, and edibles from sources outside Virginia and trafficked the goods into the state, court documents show.
Morris, who was proprietor of Top Tier Law Group, had an office at 510 South Independence Blvd. in Virginia Beach, and admitted to allowing Rogers to store some of the THC products and drug money there. He also admitted Rogers paid the office’s rent for several months and was supplying him 15 pounds of marijuana a month to sell.
The feds evidence in the case included a photograph taken in Morris’ office showing Capehart posing with over $100,000 of drug proceeds. Morris admitted that the photo was in his office, and that his diplomas and legal credentials were shown on the wall.
According Alba’s office, DTO stored approximately 1,000 pounds of marijuana at the Virginia Beach office and with all of the products stored there, according to the feds, the items were valued between $800,000 and $1.6 million.
Morris admitted that there was also evidence, including text messages, showing in April 2021, he provided Capehart with advice for moving THC products from Las Vegas to Hampton Roads.
Morris told Capehart to pack the THC with “some type of souvenirs and buy some Saran Wrap and wrap whatever you put it in well.” Then, send it to his Virginia Beach office and “[w]rite legal mail on there somewhere too,” reasoning that this would ”make it privileged and the cops would have a hell of a time getting a warrant to get around that privilege.”
Further, Morris admitted he got at least one 9 mm from Rogers and possessed it during a time when he was using Adderall cocaine, opiates, and THC.
In addition to making these admissions in federal court, Morris also admitted in an affidavit to Virginia State Bar that the details outlined in the case are true.
Morris pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 22, 2025, and the US Attorney’s office said he faces up to 10 years in prison.
Rogers and Capehart have also pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
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