A McKenzie man is facing a life sentence in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
34-year-old Marlon “Jazz” Taylor was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Jackson.
According to U.S. Attorney for West Tennessee Michael Dunavant, this is the first sentencing in a case involving multiple defendants including Nicholas Rodgers, Tarus Taylor, Elizabeth Espey, Terry Weathers, Richie Henderson, Derrick Howard, Duane Smith, and Bobby Joe Kemp, Jr. on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to information presented in court, the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, 24th Judicial District Drug Task Force, and Carroll County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into Taylor in late 2016 and learned that he and other co-conspirators were trafficking in methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana from California and Georgia.
A package mailed from California to McKenzie was later intercepted by agents, with the package containing approximately 893 grams of actual methamphetamine, with a purity level of 91%, and 1,810 grams of marijuana.
In October 2017, the U.S. Postal Service discovered similar shipments from California to a residence in Trezevant.
Surveillance of the residence revealed that after the packages were delivered to the residence, they would be delivered to Taylor’s residence in McKenzie.
On or about April 2018, deputies from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office obtained an arrest warrant for Taylor, and during a search of his home, found multiple firearms in the bedroom along with approximately 4.5 pounds of marijuana,
$14,000 in U.S. currency, and multiple cell phones.
A search of the cell phones revealed multiple text messages between Taylor and co-defendants, detailing drug and money transactions.
As a result, FBI agents traveled to California and executed a search warrant
on the drug trafficking organization’s source of supply.
On April 20, 2019, Taylor pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
