The five were reportedly in federal court Friday in Winston-Salem for bond hearings. Friday evening Person County Sheriff Dewey Jones said four of the five suspects were not granted bonds prior to their trial in federal court and the fourth, while granted bond, would still face trial in the near future. All five face prison terms ranging from 25 years to life, according to Jones.

Those charged and placed in federal custody on Dec. 19 included Ronald Cousin, 40, of 60 Lester Burch Rd., Cleveland Drumwright, 40, of 109 Cleveland Ln., William Keith Nelson, 51, of 5867 Virgilina Rd., Terry Yellock, 21, of 2735 Lucy Garrett Rd. in Timberlake and Moses Barnette, 33, of Hillsborough. Nelson was the lone suspect to be granted bond Friday.

All five were charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and distribution of cocaine base.

Jones said Friday that the arrests came on the heels of a five-month investigation into federal drug charges. The federal indictments against the five were served by members of the Person County Sheriff’s Department, Roxboro Police Department, Caswell County Sheriff’s Department, Yanceyville Police Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration.

Jones noted that the investigation was a result of a combined effort of the District 9A Drug Task Force, which was organized between law enforcement agencies in Person and Caswell counties earlier this year.

Jones said that “for the most part” the suspects were taken into custody at their residences. Barnette, however, was already in custody at the Person County Law Enforcement Center for a probation violation when he was served with federal indictments, said Jones, adding that Yellock was taken into custody at a location on Madison Boulevard.

Jones went on to say that the investigation into federal drug charges in the two counties is continuing and more charges are pending.