Former Portsmouth Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Matthew Taylor Morris has been charged with federal marijuana-related crimes.
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Prosecutors allege that Morris conspired to distribute large quantities of marijuana, using his law office as a storage site for the drugs between March 2021 and May 2022. The charges, which include conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, were filed on September 10.
Morris is accused of working alongside co-conspirators Nicholas Capehart, Donald Rogers, and Jeffrey Sines. According to federal prosecutors, Rogers stored large amounts of marijuana in various locations around Hampton Roads, including Morris’ office. The group allegedly used encrypted messaging to coordinate the pickup and distribution of the marijuana, resulting in substantial profits.
This indictment comes after a series of legal issues for Morris. His law license was suspended for six months when it was discovered that he prosecuted cases despite a previous suspension. Morris was also found in contempt of court for bringing a gun into the Virginia Beach courthouse on two occasions and for arriving hours late to a scheduled hearing.
During the contempt hearing, Morris admitted that he might be "bordering on being unfit to be an attorney."
Days before his indictment, Morris resigned from the Portsmouth Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office. Local news outlet 10 On Your Side has reached out to the office for confirmation and further comment. Updates are expected when more information becomes available.
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