United States Drug Enforcement Administration

RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that in federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced Dennis Ray Taylor, 40, of Wilson, N.C., to 144 months imprisonment and 5 years supervised release for conspiracy to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, aiding and abetting. Brittney Kayla Norvell, also known as “Brittney Minshew,” 28, of Wilson, N.C., was sentenced on Aug. 29, 2019, to 60 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.

Taylor and Norvell were named in an indictment filed on Jan. 9, 2019, charging both with conspiracy to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, aiding and abetting. On June 14, 2019, Norvell pled guilty to those charges and Taylor later pled guilty on July 10, 2019.

According to the investigation, the Wilson Police Department was dispatched to a hotel in Wilson in reference to a drug complaint. Upon arriving, officers encountered Taylor and Norvell inside their hotel room. A search of the room uncovered 49.11 grams of crystal methamphetamine, a knife with methamphetamine residue, sandwich bags, digital scales and currency. The investigation revealed that Taylor and Norvell had received more methamphetamine earlier and intended on selling the rest.

The prosecution of Taylor and Norvell was a part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation targeting drug traffickers in Wilson. This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Office’s "Take Back North Carolina Initiative." This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.

The Wilson Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted investigation of this enforcement operation. Assistant United States Attorney Dena King represented the government.   

The DEA encourages parents, along with their children, to educate themselves about the dangers of legal and illegal drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.justhinktwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov. Also follow DEA Atlanta via Twitter at @DEAATLANTADiv.

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