LONDON, Ky. — A Lexington man has been arrested on allegations he was the source supplying fentanyl dealers across Eastern Kentucky.
Ramando “Scoop” Taylor Jr., 27, is charged with distributing more than 40 grams of fentanyl and conspiracy.
Hazard Police Captain James Grigsby, who serves on a DEA task force, was among the investigators on the case and presented it to obtain arrest and search warrants.
Grigsby says in his affidavit that Taylor was first identified as a fentanyl supplier to Perry and Breathitt counties from information obtained by informants and cooperating defendants. Based on that information, police staged several undercover purchases of fentanyl from street-level dealers and later from Taylor.
In one instance back in September, police purchased 111 grams of fentanyl for $2,000.
After receiving permission to track Taylor’s phone and setting up a buy for Thursday, police tracked him traveling from Georgia, through Tennessee and into Kentucky on Wednesday, before pulling him over along I-75 in Whitley County.
During that stop, a drug dog alerted on the vehicle, but police were unable to find any drugs. However, Grigsby wrote in his affidavit that police believe the vehicle was modified to conceal drugs, and requested a warrant to conduct a more thorough search.
Taylor is scheduled to appear in court March 11 for a preliminary hearing and detention hearing. Until that time, he is being held without bail in the Laurel County jail.
