CHARLESTON -- A Lawrence County, Ohio, man appeared before a federal judge Wednesday in regards to a nearly eight-year, $10 million marijuana conspiracy.

Barry M. Adkins, 48, of South Point made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Stanley in Charleston. He then was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond. His next court date is an arraignment set for Aug. 18.

Adkins was the only local person named among those charged in the conspiracy.

Prosecutors have kept many details under wraps, but court documents filed thus far point to a broad conspiracy that involved thousands of pounds of marijuana, including a 682-pound seizure this March in Putnam County, W.Va. The cross-country investigation has suspects residing in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois and Ohio.

Adkins' court appearance means authorities have arrested at least five of the eight suspects.

Prosecutors are seeking the forfeiture of $10 million in proceeds and other items that they say were used to fuel the conspiracy.

Conspiracy is the lone charge facing Adkins. A civil action filed last month by prosecutors charges that Adkins had been distributing large amounts of marijuana for at least two to three years. The total quantity he distributed exceeds several thousand pounds, the civil complaint states.

The indictment states the conspiracy began in summer 2002 and ended May 19, 2010. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's joint investigation started in June 2009, according to the civil complaint. It states the investigation's "prime targets" were people living in Ironton and South Point, Ohio.

The indictment listed Adkins' alleged co-conspirators as Christopher "Cluck" Clark, 35, and Jeffery Perry, 32, both of Columbus, Ohio; Russell Nelson, 47, and Mark "Chappy" Chappalear, 32, of Zanesville, Ohio; Jay Van Meenen, 32, of Phoenix; and Rosa Imedla Ledezma, 43, of Denver.

Richard Fleming, 48, of Chicago was not named in the in the conspiracy count, but was charged with aiding and abetting. That charge alleges that Fleming assisted in the distribution of marijuana March 12 in Nitro.

Van Meenen is charged with conspiracy and distributing. The distribution charge is related to a 682-pound marijuana seizure March 5 along U.S. 35 near its intersection with W.Va. 34 in Putnam County, according to the indictment and related search warrant.

Clark and Perry were arrested Monday, followed by Chappalear and Nelson on Tuesday. No other arrests had been reported.

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