The Department of Justice has announced that 14 south Georgia residents, including some from Effingham County, have been indicted on a number of drug trafficking charges.

The defendants have been charged with conspiring to traffic in methamphetamine, heroin, oxycodone and other drugs, according to the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office. The majority of defendants appeared in federal court in Statesboro last week for initial appearances.

Indicted were Jeramie Thomas Leslie, 31, of Guyton; John Christopher Paulson, 40, of Rincon; Samori Jodan Smokes, 35, of Eden; and Kayla Estell Rericha, 21, of Rincon.

The charges resulted from a joint federal-state investigation by the DEA, GBI, the Bryan County County Sheriff’s Office, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team, the Statesboro-Bulloch Crime Suppression Team, the Richmond Hill Police Department and the Pembroke Police Department.  Assistance was also provided by the Rincon Police Department and the United States Marshal’s Service.

Also indicted were William Preston Gibbs, 22, of Glennville; Jeremiah Jones Richardson, 29, of Statesboro; Jason Todd Smith, 43, of Fleming; Jeremy Nicholas Taylor, 27, of Ellabell; Scott Lamont Pointer, 35, of Ellabell; Timothy Wayne Davis, 49, of Ellabell; Christopher Gage Floyd, 21, of Pembroke; Kenneth Jordan Lane, 24, of Pembroke; Jeffery James Taylor, 28, of Ellabell; and Casandra Rae Hendrix, 24, of Ellabell.

U.S. Attorney Edward Tarver emphasizes that indictments are only accusations and are not evidence of guilt.