A Charleston man has been sentenced to more than 18 years in prison for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking operation.
James Taylor, 35, pled guilty in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi to one count of conspiracy to traffic drugs. Taylor oversaw the drug trafficking organization of other defendants who have been charged with conspiracy to distribute drugs and drug distribution.
The others who have been charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, in this case, include Demandrick Hayes, Alvin Johnson, Linda Hunt, Brenda Hunt, Genise Cox, Aaron Prince, Dexter Ray, and Dana Smith.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program in partnership with state and local law enforcement.
“This conviction and lengthy sentence exemplifies DEA’s relentless commitment to keep dangerous drugs and those who traffic them off of our streets,” DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Gaddy said. “The DEA, along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will continue to focus on these drug trafficking organizations that spread poison in our communities.”
Taylor was sentenced to 219 months for the conspiracy. He was further sentenced to 5 years of supervised release following his release from prison.
Agencies that assisted with the investigation include the United States Marshal’s Service, the United States Postal Inspector’s Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Tallahatchie County Sheriff’s Department, the Charleston Police Department, and the Leflore County Sheriff’s Department.
