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YOUNGSTOWN -- A Youngstown man who was charged with being part of a drug-trafficking operation in the Youngstown area pleaded guilty Tuesday during a video hearing with the U.S. Northern Ohio District Court.
Ghalayah L. LaBooth, 42, pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack, heroin, fentanyl, fentanyl compounds and methamphetamine.
Sentencing for LaBooth is set for 10 a.m. May 31 before U.S. Judge Donald C. Nugent. The judge also granted LaBooth a $10,000 bond with condition that he attend an inpatient substance-abuse treatment facility. LaBooth is to remain in custody until a bed is available in a treatment facility, the court states.
LaBooth was one of nine people indicted last year on various drug charges.
Also 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; Lamar E. Knox, 31; George V. Barnette, 37; all with Youngstown addresses; and Lawrence K. McBride, 50, of Salem.
Childs is expected to change his plea on a drug conspiracy charge at a hearing set for Feb 28 before Nugent, while McCullough and McBride are headed for March 22 final pretrial hearings.
The other five have either pleaded guilty or have been sentenced in the case.
• Moody, with an Orlo Lane address, pleaded guilty Nov. 5, 2021, 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 by Nugent.
• Sanders pleaded guilty Nov. 19, 2021, 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, 2021, to the conspiracy count and also to a charge of distribution of heroin and fentanyl. He is scheduled to be sentenced March 1.
• Knox, also known as "Mar Mar," appeared Dec. 10, 2021, before Nugent and pleaded guilty to the one drug conspiracy charge. He is scheduled to be sentenced March 31 after undergoing a background investigation.
• Barnette was sentenced Dec. 1, 2021, by Nugent to five months in a federal prison. He also was ordered to be on a supervised release for three years. Records show Barnette pleaded guilty Sept. 9 to a drug conspiracy count with five counts of use of a communication facility in drug trafficking dismissed.
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. The defendants allegedly used cellphones and code words, such as "vick," "onion" and "zipper," to conduct and conceal their activities.
Moody also is accused of maintaining a drug house on Delason Avenue on the South Side of Youngstown.