The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma this week ann ounced the life sentence of Heath Lloyd Taylor, a drug trafficker who led an organization in eastern Oklahoma while incarcerated at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.
Seven additional members of the organization were sentenced for drug conspiracy with sentences ranging from 24 to 240 months. Five members were sentenced for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances with sentences ranging from 57 to 151 months.
The operation involved non-incarcerated members who obtained, stored and distributed over 25 kilograms of methamphetamine and approximately 45 grams of fentanyl from a base of stash houses where drug proceeds, firearms and other assets also were stored.
Outstanding work by our local, state and federal agencies who investigated and participated in the arrests in these crimes. When all agencies work together, our state becomes safer and drug dealers get the punishment they deserve. It is also important to point out the great prosecution by the Eastern District of Oklahoma U.S. Attorney’s Office.
We all will continue to fight for a safer Oklahoma, which will in turn create a better Oklahoma.
In the House of Representatives this week, I passed several Senate bills.
Senate Bill 599 would add the death penalty or life without the possibility of parole as potential punishments for any person convicted of certain sexual crimes against children. These include anyone convicted of forcible anal or oral sodomy, rape or rape by instrumentation of a child under 14 years of age, and any person convicted of inappropriately touching a child under the age of 12. Offenders would not need to be convicted a second time of these crimes for this higher range of punishment. This is about protecting our kids and ensuring the harshest punishments for monsters that would abuse children in these ways.
This bill returns to the Senate for final consideration of House amendments.
Senate Bill 398 is a language cleanup request by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. It would require the director to issue a written order to show cause before annulling, conditioning, suspending or revoking any registration under the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act. Alleged violations will be deemed admitted unless the registrant requests an administrative hearing within 30 days.
Senate Bill 497 is an attorney general’s request that would increase the period of time the Forensic Review Board has to provide notice to district attorneys and crime victims – to 45 days. This also applies when the board considers changing the custody of an individual found not guilty by reason of mental illness.
Senate Bill 861 cleans up Oklahoma statutes defining street gangs and gang-related offenses, adding human trafficking and possession of a firearm after former felony conviction.
These three bills passed unanimously and now move to the governor for his consideration of signing them into law.
Remember, if I can help you in my capacity as your representative, please do not hesitate to contact me at the Capitol. My office phone is (405) 557-7375, and my email is tim.turner@okhouse. gov.
Rep. Tim Turner, a Republican, represents House District 15 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes Haskell County and portions of McIntosh, Muskogee, Le Flore and Pittsburg counties.
