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A Fort Wayne man faces more than 16 years in prison after being convicted of multiple drug and firearm-related charges.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge Holly Brady sentenced Derek Taylor, 47, to 197 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Taylor’s prison sentence will be followed by four years of supervised release, according to an Indiana Northern District news release.
According to documents in the case, in August and September 2023, Taylor distributed cocaine.
Search warrants resulted in the recovery of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and M30 pills containing fentanyl, along with three handguns, a stolen semi-automatic rifle, multiple digital scales, baggies, and a substantial amount of powder used in the distribution of narcotics.
Taylor was previously convicted twice of distributing drugs and was also previously convicted of felony battery, making him a career offender for purposes of federal sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the FBI, the Indiana State Police, the Allen County Police Department, and the Fort Wayne Police Department.
Also assisting this investigation was the Drug Enforcement Administration’s North Central Laboratory and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
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