Missouri man sentenced to 60 years for drug trafficking, illegal firearms

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City man was sentenced Thursday to 60 years in federal prison for drug-trafficking and illegally possessing firearms after shooting at police officers during a foot chase that ended in his arrest.

This sentence resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Kansas City (Missouri) Police Department.

Antonio M. Taylor, 30, was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison without parole after being convicted on nine separate criminal counts.

Following trial on Feb. 26, Taylor was found guilty of two counts of possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing crack cocaine, marijuana and PCP with the intent to distribute. He was also found guilty of three counts of possessing firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes, and three counts of being a felon possessing a firearm.

According to evidence presented during the trial, law enforcement officers conducted surveillance on Taylor’s residence July 2, 2012. Taylor, who had an active Jackson County (Missouri) warrant for violating felony probation, left the apartment and walked toward a vehicle in the parking lot. When police officers approached him, Taylor ran away and the officers pursued him on foot.

During the pursuit, Taylor fired several shots at a pursuing officer from a 9mm semi-automatic handgun. The officer returned fire several times and saw Taylor drop a large bag of crack cocaine (later determined to be 32.9 grams) as he ran. Taylor suffered several gun-shot wounds and was taken to the emergency room after he was apprehended. The officer was not injured.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to possess any firearm or ammunition. Taylor has a prior felony conviction for shooting from a vehicle, four prior convictions for assault, and five prior convictions for armed-criminal actions.