Tenth defendant in Augusta-area meth trafficking operation found guilty

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The tenth defendant charged in a drug trafficking conspiracy in the Augusta area has been found guilty at trial. He represents the final defendant in the case, along with all the others currently serving prison sentences, we learned Thursday.

Donnie Skillman, 47, of Augusta, faces life in federal prison following his conviction for methamphetamine trafficking and firearm possession, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

US District Court, Federal Courthouse, Augusta, Georgia.

“All ten defendants in this drug trafficking network will now be held responsible for distributing dangerous, addictive drugs in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We applaud the excellent 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 ten suspects charged US v. Walters et al., an indictment unsealed in December 2023 that identified a major methamphetamine trafficking ring distributing drugs throughout the Augusta area. The other nine defendants are serving federal prison terms after pleading guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy charges, including:

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

Smith, Hilliard and Holcomb also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall will schedule Skillman’s sentencing after completing an investigation into the presence of 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 the DEA’s strong commitment to dismantling these dangerous drug trafficking organizations.”

“Our priority is to ensure that those 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 Bureau of Alcohol’s Atlanta Field Division, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. “This successful prosecution is a testament to the hard work and cooperation of all agencies involved in this investigation.”

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

The case was investigated by 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 research 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 Assistant United States Attorneys for the Southern District of Georgia, Bradley R. Thompson and Kelsey L. Scanlon.