FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – Fort Wayne Police Department officials say that they found a large amount of fentanyl along with various other drugs and guns during a raid of a southside home on Thursday.
Officers arrested 47-year-old Derek L. Taylor on several charges including dealing in a narcotic drug and dealing cocaine after a SWAT unit found more than three pounds of fentanyl at a Bowser Avenue home.
The FWPD says that address and Taylor’s restaurant on Oxford Street, Big Momma’s Kitchen, were both associated with narcotics sales.
According to a press release, Fort Wayne Police’s narcotics division had him under surveillance over the last couple of months.
The Fort Wayne Police Department released the following:
SUSPECT #1: Derek Lafonzo Taylor, M/B/47, D.O.B. 03/19/1976
ADDRESS: 5410 Webster St., Fort Wayne, IN 46807
CHARGE: 2 counts of Dealing Cocaine or Other Narcotic Drug (Level 2)
1 count of Dealing Cocaine (Level 2)
2 counts of Dealing Cocaine (Level 3)
LOCATION
OF INCIDENT: 3506 Bowser Ave. and 1307 Oxford St. (Big Momma’s Kitchen), Fort Wayne, IN 46806
Upon the conclusion of a lengthy investigation, Fort Wayne Police Department’s Vice & Narcotics Division
detectives and Emergency Services Team personnel served search warrants at 3506 Bowser Ave. and 1307
Oxford St. (Big Momma’s Kitchen) during the early morning hours of Thursday September 14th, 2023. We
had information that Derek Taylor was dealing cocaine and counterfeit M30 pills that contained Fentanyl
from 3506 Bowser Ave. We also had developed information through surveillance that both Mr. Taylor and
these narcotics sales were associated the Big Momma’s Kitchen on Oxford ST. A warrant was secured for
both locations after Detectives conducted numerous hours of surveillance and purchased cocaine from Mr.
Taylor.
The following items were located inside 3506 Bowser Ave.:
-53.3 grams of counterfeit M30/Fentanyl pills (Approximately 500 pills)
-1450 grams of a tan powder that tested positive for Fentanyl
-281.1 grams of a brown chunky material that tested positive for Heroin
-77.8 grams of white chunky material that tested positive for Cocaine
-16.7 grams of a grey colored chunky material that tested positive for Fentanyl
-7 digital scales
-Rock River Arms AR styled rifle (Stolen)
-H&R .22 caliber revolver
The following items were located at 1307 Oxford St.:
-Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun
Mr. Taylor was located later that evening at 5410 Webster St. He was taken into custody without incident by
the FWPD Emergency Services Team and Narcotic’s detectives. An additional handgun was located during
the search of the Webster St. location. It should be noted that this was the largest amount of Fentanyl seized
by Fort Wayne Police Department during a single investigation. These drugs have a street value in excess of
$250,000. This is currently an ongoing investigation.