KC Reporter

John A. Caylor, a Kansas City man, has been sentenced to 13 years and six months in federal prison without parole for his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy and illegal possession of a firearm. U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips handed down the sentence on Tuesday, April 16.

Caylor pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine and heroin and possessing a firearm in connection with drug trafficking. He confessed to taking part in the conspiracy from February 28, 2020, to September 20, 2022.

According to court documents, Caylor sold illegal drugs to a confidential informant on multiple occasions before being apprehended with methamphetamine in his possession. Law enforcement officers also discovered a loaded handgun, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia in his hotel room.

The case involved numerous defendants, with seven already sentenced. Caylor's co-defendant, Jose Jesus Sanchez-Mendez, who managed a drug trafficking organization distributing various illegal substances, awaits sentencing.

The investigation leading to the arrests was a collaborative effort involving multiple law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and local police departments. The operation resulted in numerous arrests, the seizure of a significant amount of drugs, firearms, and other illegal items.

This case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which aims to dismantle high-level criminal organizations. The prosecution was carried out under the Department of Justice's OCDETF Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, emphasizing collaboration between agencies to combat organized crime effectively.

The sentencing of John A. Caylor underscores the ongoing efforts to address drug trafficking and related crimes in the Kansas City metropolitan area.