Alleged ‘top dog' heroin distributor arrested Tuesday in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Law enforcement officials took down someone they describe as the "top dog" suspected of distributing heroin in Poplar Bluff on Tuesday afternoon.

"I've been getting information that dope [heroin] was coming out of a house next to the Boys and Girls Club for the last two years" but never had enough information to apply for a search warrant, said Butler County investigator Wes Popp. "We never actually knew which house it was until the last couple of weeks."

Information and an opportunity arose this week that "gave us the ability to [obtain] a search warrant" for the home of Demetrius Desean "Sean" Taylor in the 400 block of South D Street, Popp said.

Taylor, 26, also was wanted on a no-bond warrant for being a parole absconder, Popp said.

Members of the Butler County Sheriff's Department, SEMO Drug Task Force and Poplar Bluff Police Department executed the search warrant on Taylor's home.

Taylor's girlfriend, Chelsey Roberts was arrested at the residence, and police waited for Taylor to return a few minutes later, Popp said.

Officers found $2,028 and about 30 capsules containing heroin in Taylor's pocket, Popp said, and a small zip-top bag containing suspected powder heroin was found in his car.

"We did a search of the house, and in his bedroom we found digital scales, a large bag of empty pill capsules that are commonly used to package the heroin, [and] a sandwich bag containing [the sleep aid] Dormin, which is a substance used in cutting heroin," Popp said.

Also found in Taylor's bedroom was a coffee grinder with "a white residue in it," which is "used to mix the Dormin with the heroin and a sandwich baggie contained multiple individually packaged ‘dime bags' of marijuana," Popp said.

Officers also found three long guns and a .357 Magnum revolver in the home.

"He's a convicted felon," so the guns were seized, Popp said.

Taylor was booked on the warrant and suspicion of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Roberts, 26, was booked on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance.

Popp described Taylor, who is reportedly unemployed, as being the "top dog" when it comes to allegedly distributing heroin. "He's supposed to be one of the main distributors for the city of Poplar Bluff," Popp said.

Popp said Taylor "admitted he made runs to St. Louis to pick up the heroin and bring it back [but] wouldn't admit to distributing. He said all of that was for his own personal use."

According to Popp, Taylor allegedly sold to a "selected few, never going outside that circle."

One of the people Taylor allegedly sold to was Freeman Williams, who is considered a person of interest in the investigation, said Popp, who described the 27-year-old as being the "next drop down" from Taylor in the alleged distribution of heroin.

Officers also served a search warrant Tuesday afternoon on Williams' apartment in the 500 block of Bartlett Street.

Williams was not at the apartment, but officers found empty capsules used to package the heroin and drug paraphernalia that tested positive for the presence of heroin, Popp said.

Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs described Taylor as "definitely a big hitter," and said he could face a "higher charge since it was in a school zone."

Pertinent address:

400 S. D St., Poplar Bluff, Mo.

500 Bartlett St., Poplar Bluff, Mo.