SAULT STE. MARIE — A Dafter man facing numerous meth and firearms charges has been arraigned in 50th Circuit Court.

47–year–old Billy Jo Verrette pleaded not guilty in two cases, one involving thirteen meth–related counts and the other involving three counts related to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Verrette was arrested along with 20-year-old Matthew Hovie and 21-year-old River Mauldin, both of Sault Ste. Marie, by the Tri–County Drug Enforcement Taskforce on June 8th after the conclusion of a lengthy investigation into multiple meth labs in the Dafter and Sault Ste. Marie area.