Salem, Virginia – A man from Salem, reportedly engaged in a shootout during a methamphetamine transaction in Lynchburg in 2021, has entered a guilty plea to two federal charges.
The United States Department of Justice reports that 42-year-old Jeriwon Lee Taylor pleaded guilty to one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Court documents reveal that Taylor arranged to meet Kendall Simonton in the parking lot of a Walmart in Lynchburg on November 21, 2021, for the purpose of selling him methamphetamine. Upon arriving at the designated location, Simonton entered Taylor’s vehicle and proceeded to threaten Taylor with a gun before stealing his drugs.
Following the robbery, Simonton exited Taylor’s vehicle and began to leave the scene. Taylor then retrieved a firearm and both individuals engaged in a shootout, taking cover behind parked cars. Eventually, Simonton fled the parking lot on foot, while Taylor reentered his vehicle and drove away.
Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Washington Division, commented on the incident, stating, “It is clear that drug traffickers have no respect for human lives and conduct criminal business in the open public, disregarding the damage they can cause to human life or property.”
He further acknowledged the collaborative efforts of local law enforcement partners, which led to the execution of search warrants at locations connected to Taylor’s drug trafficking organization. The searches resulted in the seizure of fentanyl, heroin, counterfeit pills, methamphetamine, and the recovery of the firearm used in the shooting.
Taylor is now facing a minimum of 20 years in federal prison and is scheduled for sentencing on June 8.
