Ten Indicted in Augusta on Methamphetamine Trafficking Charges

Augusta, GA – Ten individuals in the Augusta area are facing federal charges for their involvement in a significant methamphetamine trafficking operation, as announced by Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The indictment in USA v. Walters et al. includes charges of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, along with various individual charges related to meth possession, distribution, and illegal gun possession.

The defendants named in the recently unsealed indictment are:

1. Edward Jake Walters, a/k/a “State Farm,” a/k/a “Jake from State Farm,” 29, of Grovetown, Ga.
2. Phillip Smith, 49, of Augusta.
3. Dustin Bayles, 35, of Thomson, Ga.
4. Glen Taylor, 42, of Beech Island, S.C.
5. Linda Campbell, 52, of Augusta.
6. Joshua Wasden, 35, of Thomson, Ga.
7. Brian Hilliard, 40, of Augusta.
8. Gary Holcomb, 59, of Martinez, Ga.
9. Donnie Skillman, 46, of Augusta.
10. Destiny Poole, 23, of Grovetown, Ga.

All defendants have appeared in U.S. Magistrate Court for initial hearings and are awaiting further proceedings. The conspiracy charge carries a statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison, substantial fines, and a period of supervised release upon completing any prison term.

The investigation was conducted under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative, which targets high-level criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Agencies involved in the investigation include the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and the McDuffie County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley R. Thompson is prosecuting the case.

Indictments only contain charges, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Contact
Barry L. Paschal, Public Affairs Officer: 912-652-4422