Wilson Man Sentenced For Drug Trafficking And Firearm Offenses

RALEIGH – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that yesterday in federal court, Senior United States District Judge James C. Fox sentenced DENNIS TAYLOR, 55, of Wilson to 154 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.

TAYLOR was named in a two-count Indictment filed on May 7, 2015, charging him with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack) and Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug-Trafficking Offense and aiding and abetting.  On September 28, 2015, TAYLOR pled guilty to both Counts of the Indictment.

From September, 2013 to June, 2014, detectives with the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division conducted an investigation involving the distribution of crack cocaine and firearms in the Rainwater and Artis Road area of Lucama.  The investigation began as deputies had responded to this area of the county for numerous years for various complaints to include illegal street racing and drug activity. Throughout the course of the investigation, detectives seized a total of nearly 200 grams of crack cocaine and 12 firearms to include two .22 caliber rifles, two 7.62 SKS rifles, three .22 caliber pistols, a 9mm pistol, a .45 caliber pistol, a .17 caliber rifle, a 20 gauge shotgun, and a .380 pistol.  A majority of the firearms that were seized throughout the investigation had been reported stolen.  This case was part of Operation E.O.G. (Education Over Guns), an initiative conducted in June 2014.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office with Detective Brandon Barbrey the lead investigator.  Assistant United States Attorney Edward D. Gray prosecuted the case for the government.