Tenth Defendant in Augusta-Area Meth Trafficking Ring Convicted, Facing Life in Prison

Donnie Skillman, 47, of Augusta, Georgia, has been convicted on federal charges of methamphetamine trafficking and firearms possession, marking the final conviction in a major drug conspiracy case. Skillman now faces up to life in prison after a two-day trial in U.S. District Court concluded with a guilty verdict on charges of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number.

Skillman was part of a methamphetamine trafficking network operating throughout the Augusta area, with 10 defendants charged in the case. The other nine members have already been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty. Their sentences range from 37 months to 188 months, with several also convicted of firearms charges.

U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg praised the efforts of law enforcement partners, noting, “All 10 defendants in this drug-trafficking network are now being held accountable for distributing dangerous, addictive drugs in our community.”

The investigation, identified under the case USA v. Walters et al., led to the indictment of Skillman and his co-defendants in December 2023. The investigation revealed a widespread operation distributing methamphetamine throughout the region, and Skillman’s conviction concludes the case with all individuals involved facing federal sentences.

Skillman’s co-defendants, including Edward Jake Walters, Phillip Smith, and Gary Holcomb, among others, have been sentenced, with multiple individuals also convicted for possessing firearms as convicted felons.

The investigation, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), was part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative. The case highlights the collaborative efforts of local and federal law enforcement agencies to dismantle large-scale drug trafficking operations.

“Guns, drugs, and violence are unfortunately all too common tools of the drug dealers operating in our communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This verdict demonstrates DEA’s emphatic commitment to dismantling these dangerous drug trafficking organizations.”

Skillman’s sentencing will be determined after a presentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.