Tyler Taylor, 28, of Rochester, NY, has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.
The charges against Taylor carry a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison and a $2,000,000 fine. According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, the defendant was arrested after law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at 70 Texas Street in Rochester.
During the search, officers recovered approximately 655 decks of fentanyl, materials consistent with the packaging of narcotics, and a firearm, among other contraband. This discovery led to the uncovering of a disturbing incident in which Taylor sold fentanyl that resulted in the overdose death of an individual identified as S.M. on May 3, 2018.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Heroin Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division. The collaborative effort between these agencies has been instrumental in bringing Taylor to justice.
The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.
As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced the guilty plea, highlighting the importance of holding individuals accountable for their actions, especially when they result in harm to others.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 4, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Larimer. As Taylor awaits his sentence, the community is reminded of the devastating consequences of fentanyl distribution and the importance of continued efforts to combat this issue. The guilty plea of Tyler Taylor serves as a testament to the dedication of law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in pursuing justice for victims and their families.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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