A federal jury trial is scheduled for December for six people charged in a multicount indictment, accused of running a drug-trafficking operation in the Mahoning Valley.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force.

The six are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack, heroin, fentanyl, fentanyl analogues and methamphetamine.

Pretrial hearings were held in Cleveland before Judge Donald C. Nugent, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, on Sept. 2 for Korey K. Moody, 36; Cedric L. Sanders, 42; Matthew J. Spain, 38; George V. Barnette, 37; and Lamar E. Knox, 31, all of Youngstown; and Lawrence K. McBride, 50, of Salem.

In addition, the defendants are charged with various counts of use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime; maintaining a drug premise; 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.

Moody is free after posting a $20,000 bond, court records show. The judge in July signed a protective order for all evidence in the case, saying the information cannot be released to the media.

The trial is set for 8:30 a.m. Dec. 13 in Nugent’s courtroom, with another pretrial hearing set for Oct. 8.

According to the indictment, from February to December of 2019, Moody is accused of supplying heroin and cocaine to Sanders and Spain for distribution in the Youngstown area.

In turn, it is alleged Spain supplied cocaine to Barnette, Knox and McBride for redistribution in the area. The defendants allegedly used cellphones and code words to conduct and conceal their activities.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmine Makridis.