City fire inspector faces gun charges(Chicago)

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City fire inspector faces gun chargesDrugs also found at his South Side home, cops sayBy Eric Ferkenhoff and Gary WashburnTribune staff reportersPublished January 23, 2002A 22-year veteran of the Chicago Fire Department was charged with drug and firearms offenses after weapons, drugs and documents showing possible narcotics sales were found in his South Side home, police said Tuesday.Fire Lt. Cordell Taylor, 42, was arrested early Sunday at his house in the 7900 block of South Paxton Avenue and charged with aggravated assault, possession of a controlled substance, aggravated unauthorized use of a weapon and failure to register firearms, police said. Because of the charges, Taylor, who was off duty at the time, has been placed on administrative leave, Fire Department spokeswoman Molly Sullivan said.Whether Taylor will face disciplinary action will depend on the outcome of an internal investigation, fire officials said.Police said officers from the South Chicago District went to Taylor's block about 2 a.m. Sunday to investigate a report of loud noise and saw Taylor pointing a gun at a neighbor. In telephone interviews, some neighbors disputed the gun report.Police said that when officers approached Taylor, he tried to run. Police said they caught up with him and found him with the gun.Inside Taylor's home, police found a shotgun, a rifle and three handguns, said Police Sgt. Robert Cargie, a department spokesman said.Police reports indicate that Taylor was found with marijuana. A source familiar with the case said there was also evidence of cocaine in his home.The source said police found scales to weigh drugs and records that appeared to detail narcotics sales.Taylor, who joined the department in February 1980, was on furlough at the time of his arrest, Fire Department spokesman Will Knight said. Knight said he had no details about the arrest or the investigation.Taylor, who worked in the downtown Fire Prevention Bureau, had been scheduled to return to work Wednesday."He has always been in good standing," Knight said about Taylor's record with the department.In his job Taylor drove his personal vehicle to buildings he inspected for compliance with city codes, Knight said. The Illinois secretary of state's office said Taylor's driver's license has been suspended since 1995 because of unpaid parking tickets.City records show that Taylor has unpaid parking tickets totaling $562.50, Revenue Director Bea Reyna-Hickey said.Sullivan had no information about Taylor's suspended license. She also said she was unaware that in 1994 Taylor was charged with unlawful use of a weapon, having no valid firearm owner's identification card and having an unregistered firearm.Court records indicate that Taylor's weapon in that case was turned over to be destroyed and the case was dropped. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0201230098jan23.story