The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Heath Lloyd Taylor, 46, was sentenced to life in prison for drug conspiracy. This sentence was part of proceedings that included hearings for Taylor’s co-defendants between October 2024 and April 2025. Seven members of the drug trafficking organization received sentences for drug conspiracy, with terms ranging from 240 to 24 months.
Additionally, five other members were sentenced for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, with sentences between 151 and 57 months. Investigators reported that Taylor was involved in leading a drug trafficking group from the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, managing operations that involved more than 25 kilograms of methamphetamine and about 465 grams of fentanyl.
The investigation involved the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, as well as other federal and local law enforcement agencies. DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chavez remarked on the impact of drug trafficking, stating, “Defendant Taylor and his associates took advantage of individuals and showed no concern for those who stood in their path of destruction."
ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims noted the importance of ongoing efforts to target illegal activities: “Life in a federal prison should serve as a reminder to those who think they fly under the radar." OBN Director Donnie Anderson highlighted the success of the investigation, saying, “This was an outstanding joint investigation with our state and federal partners to dismantle and prosecute a complex criminal organization.”
United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson expressed the significance of the operation, stating, "Thanks to the cooperative work of federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement, Taylor and his co-defendants are off the streets and their drug operation has ended."
Chief U.S. District Judge Ronald A. White and U.S. District Judge Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach presided over the court proceedings. All defendants are in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service while awaiting transport to federal prison facilities. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Cornell and Jordan Howanitz represented the government in this case, which was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.
