Lawyer in Va. AG's office arrested on drug charges

NORFOLK

A lawyer in the state attorney general’s office has been charged with felony possession with intent to distribute marijuana and a misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon. 

Police charged Steven F. Lederman on Thursday. Lederman, 45, works in the Division of Child Support Enforcement. Attorney general’s spokesman David Clementson said Friday that Lederman has worked there since 1997. Lederman has been suspended without pay pending further investigation, Clementson said.

Lederman was released from jail early Friday after posting a $25,000 bond, according to jail spokeswoman Bonita Harris. An affidavit in support of a search of Lederman’s home, filed in Circuit Court on Friday, gives this account of how an investigation started, how police followed him, and his arrest:

Police got a tip that Lederman traveled to Washington, D.C., to buy marijuana, and then brought the drugs back to his home to package and resell. The informant told police that Lederman spent $500 to $1,000 on marijuana, and that he sometimes stopped in Richmond on the way back to buy cocaine.

Police staked out Lederman’s home on the 600 block of Redgate Ave. in Ghent on Thursday  and saw him get into a silver full-size van. Police followed Lederman to Washington, and then to Richmond. Police saw Lederman leave a residence in Richmond carrying a red-and-white bag.

Police stopped Lederman for a traffic infraction on the 7600 block of Hampton Blvd. A police drug-sniffing dog alerted on the red-and-white bag in Lederman’s van. Police found marijuana wrapped as a Christmas present inside the bag.

Police also found a mirror with suspected cocaine residue. The warrant does not detail how much of either drug was found. State law says that possession of more than half an ounce of marijuana is a felony.

The warrant sought permission to search Lederman’s home for scales, records of drug sales, packaging materials, telephone records and drugs. It did not list what, if anything, was found.

Two years ago, Lederman’s name  surfaced as a possible contender for a seat on Norfolk’s juvenile court bench. He was not named to the post.

A recording at a listing for Lederman said the number was not in service.

Michelle Washington, (757) 446-2287, michelle.washington@pilotonline.com