Antonio Taylor Sentenced in U.S. District Court
| U.S. Attorney’s Office April 03, 2012 |
The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings on March 28, 2012 before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, Antonio Taylor, a 25-year-old resident of Logan, Utah, appeared for sentencing. Taylor was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 51 months
- Special assessment: $100
- Supervised release: three years
Taylor was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
In an offer of proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
Beginning in approximately April of 2010, and continuing until approximately November 2010, Taylor and separately indicted co-conspirators knowingly and unlawfully conspired with each other and others to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine throughout Yellowstone County.
In November 2010, law enforcement officers with the FBI Big Sky Safe Streets Task Force (“BSSSTF”) learned that Taylor was involved in the sale of methamphetamine.
On November 12, 2010, using a controlled source (CS), officers arranged a controlled drug purchase from Taylor at a co-conspirator’s residence. The CS purchased two ounces of methamphetamine from Taylor for $5,000. The officers followed Taylor to a local motel but did not contact him.
On November 16, 2010, law enforcement arranged a second controlled drug purchase using the CS. The CS again met with Taylor and received two ounces of methamphetamine in exchange for $5,000 cash.
After the controlled purchase, agents conducted a traffic stop of Taylor’s vehicle. After receiving consent to search the vehicle, agents found the $5,000 on Taylor’s person and arrested him.
Simultaneous to the traffic stop, agents executed a search warrant for the room at the motel they had followed him to before. Inside the room, agents located $50,425 in cash, approximately four ounces of methamphetamine, and a drug ledger Taylor had made to detail his recent drug activity.
When interviewed, Taylor admitted to purchasing and selling 500 or more grams of methamphetamine during the course of the conspiracy. He also admitted to traveling between Utah and Billings to distribute methamphetamine for a drug organization.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the “truth in sentencing” guidelines mandate that Taylor will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, Taylor does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for “good behavior.” However, this reduction will not exceed 15 percent of the overall sentence.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Billings Big Sky Safe Streets Task Force.