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One of the nine people charged last summer in a 59-count indictment concerning a drug-trafficking operation in the Youngstown area was sentenced this week in U.S. Northern Ohio District Court to seven years in prison.
Matthew J. Spain, 28, of Ridge Avenue, Youngstown, was sentenced during a video hearing before federal Judge Donald Nugent. On Nov. 23, 2021, Spain pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, crack, heroin, fentanyl, fentanyl compounds, and methamphetamine and another count of distribution of heroin and fentanyl.
The court recommended Spain attend a 500-hour residential drug abuse treatment program. He will be placed at the Federal Correctional Institution in Elkton and if eligible would be transferred to a halfway house.
His supervised release is for a period of four years, and Spain was assessed court costs of $200.
Last week, Korey K. Moody, 36, of Youngstown, who was accused of being the ringleader of the drug trafficking operation, was given a 12-year prison sentence by Nugent. Moody also pleaded guilty last November to one charge of conspiracy with intent to possess and distribute the drugs.
According to court documents, from July 2019 to December 2019, Moody supplied heroin, fentanyl, fentanyl compounds, cocaine, and methamphetamine to other members of the conspiracy for distribution in the areas around Youngstown. Court documents state that Moody received his drug supply from individuals in Michigan and, in turn, provided the drugs to other members of the conspiracy for redistribution.
As part of the plea agreement for this case, Moody has agreed to forfeit a 2014 Jaguar F Type Convertible, a 2016 Dodge Durango, a diamond bracelet, a Rolex watch and a yellow gold chain purchased with drug trafficking proceeds.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmine Makridis.
Also named in the indictment are Cedrick Sanders, 42; Michael N. Childs Jr., 35; Dewayne A. McCullough, 35; Lamar E. Knox, 31; George V. Barnette, 37; and Ghalayah L. LaBooth, 42, all with Youngstown addresses; and Lawrence K. McBride, 50, of Salem.
McCullough, LaBooth and McBride are headed for March 22 final pretrial hearings. The three are charged with one count of conspiracy with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, heroin, fentanyl, fentanyl-compounds and methamphetamine. Their attorneys told the judge they have been having problems talking to their clients in jail because of COVID-19 conditions there.
The other four who were indicted in the case have either pleaded guilty or have been sentenced in the case:
• Sanders 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.
• Childs is expected to change his plea on a drug conspiracy charge at a hearing set March 24 before Nugent.
• Knox, also known as "Mar Mar," appeared Dec. 10 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, 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.
The defendants remain in federal custody, court records show.