A Charleston man was sentenced Tuesday to more than 18 years in prison for selling methamphetamine.

According to court documents, James Taylor, 35, of Charleston, Mississippi pled guilty in the United States District Court for the Northern District to Mississippi to one count of conspiracy to traffic drugs. Taylor was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock to 219 months for the conspiracy. He was further sentenced to 5 years supervised release following his release from prison. Taylor is currently in custody.

Taylor oversaw the drug trafficking organization of nine other defendants who were charged with conspiracy to distribute drugs and drug distribution. The investigation of this drug trafficking organization and its participants spanned multiple years.

Individuals who have been charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in this case include: Demandrick Hayes, Alvin Johnson, Linda Hunt, Brenda Hunt, Genise Cox, Aaron Prince, Dexter Ray, and Dana Smith.

“This conviction and lengthy sentence exemplifies DEA’s relentless commitment to keep dangerous drugs and those who traffic them off of our streets,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Gaddy. “DEA, along with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, will continue to focus on these drug trafficking organizations that spread poison in our communities.”

U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner remarked, “This case is a textbook example of what multiple federal and state agencies can accomplish when working in concert. This sentence was more than justified in this wide ranging, multi-state conspiracy.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program in partnership with state and local law enforcement.  Agencies assisting with the investigation included the United States Marshal’s Service, the United States Postal Inspector’s Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Tallahatchie County Sheriff’s Department, the Charleston Police Department, and the Leflore County Sheriff’s Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case.