ALBANY — Five Cairo residents entered guilty pleas in U.S. District Court to charges of distributing large amounts of methamphetamine — up to 13 kilograms — in the U.S. Middle District of Georgia.

Cairo defendants and pleas are:

• Xavier Jordan, 32, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

• Tobias Sanders, 31, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

• R. Kevin Barrineau, 47, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances

• Joseph “Bae Bae” Jones, 31, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances

• Phil Grim, 44, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances

The five defendants face a mandatory minimum of 10 years to a maximum of life imprisonment to be followed by a minimum of five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Drug traffickers who distribute large quantities of methamphetamine in the Middle District of Georgia face steep federal prison sentences,” said Peter D. Leary, acting Middle District U.S. attorney. “I want to commend the GBI for conducting this significant investigation into methamphetamine trafficking in Southwest Georgia and working to protect our communities from this poison.”

GBI agents conducted a wiretap investigation into the drug distribution activities of Jones, beginning in March 2019. The investigation revealed Jones and his co-defendants were engaged in the distribution of methamphetamine in Southwest Georgia, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

The investigation into his methamphetamine distribution activities began when a police report was filed on Dec. 13, 2017, with Cairo Police Department about the kidnapping of Jones, Sanders and another individual.

From that investigation and subsequent video and undercover surveillance of Jones and co-defendants, law enforcement learned Jones was a major methamphetamine supplier operating in Cairo.

Jones was taken into custody following a search of his Alison Drive residence in Cairo on June 12, 2019. Inside the residence, agents found a quantity of methamphetamine floating in a toilet and in the sewage line, $13,323 in cash, two handguns, digital scales and 16 cellular phones.

In addition, written ledgers describing various transactions amounting to the distribution of 13 kilograms of methamphetamine were discovered in Jones’ vehicle.

Co-defendant Jordan, acting under Jones’ direction as a courier and under surveillance, was arrested in possession of 1,850 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine on May 5, 2019.

Co-defendant Grim was captured under surveillance purchasing quantities of methamphetamine from Jones and admitted in his signed plea agreement to seeing four to five pounds of methamphetamine during one encounter with Jones at his Alison Drive residence.

Co-defendant Sanders was taken into custody following a June 12, 2019, search of his Marshall Street residence in Thomasville, where agents found a quantity of methamphetamine, digital scales, two handguns and $1,923 in cash. In addition, Sanders was listed as a recipient of methamphetamine in Jones’ ledger book.

Co-defendant Barrineau was intercepted in wiretaps purchasing quantities of methamphetamine from Jones.

“The pleas of these defendants are the direct result of the effective partnership between our local, state and federal agencies,” GBI Director Vic Reynolds. “We will work tirelessly together to hold accountable drug dealers supplying our neighborhoods with poison. The GBI is dedicated to thoroughly investigating these crimes to lead to successful prosecution.”