YOUNGSTOWN — A Youngstown man convicted in federal court of drug conspiracy charges appeared before a judge last week.

George V. Barnette, 37, of Youngstown was sentenced by U.S. Judge Donald C. Nugent of Northern Ohio District Court to five months in a federal prison. He was also ordered to be on a supervised release for three years.

Records show that Barnette pleaded guilty Sept. 9 to a drug conspiracy count with five counts of use of a communication facility in drug trafficking dismissed.

Meanwhile, Lamar E. Knox, 31, of Youngstown, is expected to appear in court next week on the drug conspiracy charge. Knox, also known as “Mar Mar,” is scheduled for change-of-plea hearing Dec. 10 before Nugent.

Barnette and Knox are among nine people charged last summer in a 57-count indictment dealing with a drug trafficking operation in the Youngstown area.

Others named in the indictment are Korey K. Moody, 36; Cedrick Sanders, 42; Matthew J. Spain, 28; Michael N. Childs Jr., 35; Dewayne A. McCullough, 35; and Ghalayah L. LaBooth, 42, all of Youngstown; and Lawrence K. McBride, 50, of Salem.

Moody, 36, with an Orlo Lane, Boardman address, pleaded guilty Nov. 5 to one charge of conspiracy with intent to possess and distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl.

Moody, the reputed ringleader of the gang, is set for Feb. 25, sentencing in federal court.

Sanders, 42, of Youngstown, pleaded guilty Nov. 19 to one count of conspiracy with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, heroin, fentanyl, fentanyl compounds and methamphetamine and one count of distributing heroin and fentanyl.

Sentencing for Sanders is set before Nugent on March 14.

Court records also show Spain, of Ridge Avenue, pleaded guilty Nov. 2 to the conspiracy count and also to a charge of distribution of heroin and fentanyl. He is scheduled to be sentenced March 1.

According to the indictment, from February to December 2019, Moody is accused of supplying heroin and cocaine to Sanders, Spain, LaBooth and Childs for distribution in the Youngstown area. In turn, it is alleged that Spain and Childs supplied cocaine to McCullough, Barnette, Knox and McBride for redistribution in the areas around Youngstown.

Moody also is accused of maintaining a drug house on Delason Avenue in Youngstown.

Childs, McCullough, LaBooth, and McBride will all appear for a Dec. 17 pretrial hearing in federal court. In addition to the conspiracy charge, the remaining defendants are charged with various counts of use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, maintaining a drug premises, distribution of heroin and fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, distribution of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, distribution of cocaine base, possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

All defendants remain in federal custody, court records show.

gvogrin@tribtoday.com