Fort Worth couple sentenced to combined 51 years for two fentanyl overdose deaths
FILE - Prison cells. (Giles Clarke/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH - A Fort Worth couple linked to at least two overdose deaths were sentenced today to a combined 51 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl.
Edward Taylor, 42, Tierrah "TT" Andrews, 29, were charged in March. Both pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. On Friday, Taylor was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison; Andrews was sentenced to just over 24 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Taylor and Andrews admitted to trafficking cocaine and fentanyl pills out of a motel room and an apartment in Fort Worth’s Las Vegas Trail neighborhood.
On Nov. 2, 2023, a 45-year-old man identified by the initials T.M. took a rideshare to the motel to purchase drugs from Taylor. Surveillance video showed the man briefly enter and exit Taylor’s room. Hours later, the victim’s mother found his body in his bedroom next to a crushed M-30 pill containing fentanyl. Four additional M-30 pills were found in a nicotine box inside the victim’s room.
Less than three months later, on Jan. 26, 2024, a 21-year-old man identified by the initials K.S. texted Andrews requesting "rocks n blues" (slag for crack cocaine and fentanyl pills). Cell phone data showed he took a rideshare to a gas station near her apartment, walked to her place, and paid her $77 via CashApp. Later that day, his sister found his body, where blue M-30 pills containing fentanyl, white powder, and a glass pipe were later found.
That same month, a source of information reported to police he had purchased crack cocaine and fentanyl pills from a couple trafficking out of Fort Worth. He provided Andrews’ phone number and Taylor’s CashApp account. Another source of information confirmed that he too had purchased crack cocaine and "percs" (another slang term for pills) from Taylor and Andrews for several months. He reported that the couple generally had a "k-pack" of 1,000 blue M-30 pills in plain view.
On Jan. 27, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Andrews’ apartment, where they found 270 blue M-30 pills, 2.8 grams of cocaine, 6.6 grams of methamphetamine, a drug ledger, and 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Agents found Andrews with a loaded "ghost gun." She explained to officers that she dealt drugs provided by Taylor and carried the pistol "so no one does anything to me."
On Feb. 29, 2024, an ATF undercover agent and a confidential informant purchased approximately 6.28 grams of blue M-30 pills containing fentanyl from Andrews at her apartment for $275. They observed Taylor asking Andrews about the transaction while she bagged up the blue M-30 pills inside the apartment. The transaction was completed outside, in the undercover agent’s vehicle. The defendants were arrested a week later in possession of additional blue M-30 pills and firearms, despite both being convicted felons prohibited from possessing firearms.
When confronted with photos of the victims, Taylor admitted to selling to T.M. and Andrews admitted to selling to K.S. Autopsies later confirmed both men suffered fatal drug overdoses.