A Virginia man has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison after prosecutors proved he used a luxury used-car dealership as the headquarters for a large-scale marijuana trafficking operation.

Federal authorities say the dealership, Lux Auto Sales & Rental in Newport News, served as the East Coast hub for a drug ring that moved massive quantities of marijuana and cash across the country for years.

Luxury dealership used as a front

The defendant, 34-year-old Cortez Dayshawn Bumphus of Newport News, was one of four people convicted by a federal jury in connection with the operation. Investigators say those four were part of a much larger network, with 37 defendants named in the original indictment. More than 30 others pleaded guilty before trial.

According to court records and reporting from The Virginian-Pilot, the group used the car dealership to disguise drug trafficking activity between 2017 and 2023. Large amounts of cash were allegedly transported to California inside suitcases, while suitcases filled with marijuana were sent back to Virginia.

FBI investigation uncovered millions in transactions

The FBI began investigating Lux Auto in June 2021 after receiving information pointing to significant drug trafficking activity. Agents later identified the dealership as the organization’s primary base of operations on the East Coast.

Wiretapped phone calls reportedly revealed discussions involving shipments totaling nearly 1,000 pounds of marijuana per week. Financial investigators also traced more than $22 million moving through various bank accounts linked to the defendants and their associates.

Multiple convictions and major penalties

Bumphus was convicted on several serious federal charges, including operating a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, money laundering conspiracy, illegal firearm possession, and maintaining properties used for drug activity.

In addition to the 40-year prison sentence, the court ordered Bumphus to pay a $6.4 million fine. Authorities also seized assets tied to the case, including cash, firearms, and high-end personal items.

Prior violent charges previously dismissed or overturned

Court records show Bumphus had previously faced violent crime charges unrelated to the drug case. Prosecutors once charged him with first-degree murder in a 2016 killing, though that case was dropped after a key witness failed to appear in court. He was also charged with second-degree murder following a car chase in 2020 but was acquitted by a jury in 2022.

The case highlights dealership abuse risks

Federal officials say the case illustrates how legitimate-looking businesses can be exploited to conceal organized crime. Investigators noted that the dealership’s appearance as a high-end car operation helped the group move money and avoid suspicion for years.

The case is now considered one of the largest marijuana trafficking prosecutions tied to a vehicle dealership in the region.