Final defendant in Augusta area meth trafficking operation found guilty in jury trial

AUGUSTA, GA: The tenth defendant charged in an Augusta-area drug trafficking conspiracy has been found guilty at trial, representing the final defendant in the case with all others currently serving prison terms.

Donnie Skillman, 47, of Augusta, faces up to life in federal prison after his conviction on methamphetamine-trafficking and firearms possession charges, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

"All 10 defendants in this drug-trafficking network are now being held accountable for distributing dangerous, addictive drugs in our community," said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. "We applaud the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners in identifying and eliminating this threat to the safety of our neighborhoods."

After a two-day trial in U.S. District Court, the jury found Skillman guilty 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 one of 10 defendants charged in USA v. Walters et al., an indictment unsealed in December 2023 identifying a major methamphetamine trafficking operation distributing drugs throughout the Augusta area. The other nine defendants are serving federal prison sentences after pleading guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy charges, including:

• Edward Jake Walters, a/k/a "State Farm," a/k/a "Jake from State Farm," 30, of Grovetown, Ga., sentenced to 87 months in prison and fined $1,500;
• Phillip Smith, 50, of Augusta, sentenced to 156 months in prison and fined $1,500;
• Dustin Bayles, 36, of Thomson, Ga., sentenced to 135 months in prison and fined $1,500;
• Glen Taylor, 43, of Beech Island, S.C., sentenced to 37 months in prison and fined $1,500;
• Linda Campbell, 54, of Augusta, sentenced to 68 months in prison and fined $1,000;
• Joshua Wasden, 36, of Thomson, Ga., sentenced to 120 months in prison and fined $2,000;
• Brian Hilliard, 41, of Augusta, sentenced to 108 months in prison and fined $2,500;
• Gary Holcomb, 61, of Martinez, Ga., sentenced to 188 months in prison and fined $2,000; and,
• Destiny Poole, 24, of Grovetown, Ga., sentenced to 87 months in prison and fined $1,500.

Smith, Hilliard and Holcomb also pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall will schedule sentencing for Skillman upon completion of a presentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.

"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 Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta Division. "This verdict demonstrates DEA's emphatic commitment to dismantling these dangerous drug trafficking organizations."

"Our priority is to ensure that individuals who endanger public safety through drug trafficking and illegal gun possession are brought to justice," said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. "This successful prosecution is a testament to the hard work and collaboration of all agencies involved in this investigation."

"The conviction in this extensive methamphetamine trafficking operation underscores our commitment to dismantling dangerous criminal organizations that threaten the safety of our communities," said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey. "This case is a testament to the tireless efforts and the unwavering resolve of our law enforcement partners to hold criminals accountable and protect our neighborhoods from the devastating impact of illegal drugs."

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer.

The case was investigated by 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; and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and Kelsey L. Scanlon.

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