New Kensington man, a convicted felon, accused of possessing shotgun, drugs

New Kensington police said they found guns, ammunition and drugs in a man’s home Monday after responding to a fight allegedly brought about by his girlfriend trying to catch him with another woman.

Police said Albert Earl Taylor, 49, is a felon who is not legally permitted to possess firearms. Taylor was convicted in South Carolina of voluntary manslaughter in 1993; on a felony drug charge there in 2005; and on a felony theft charge in Pennsylvania in 1991, police said in a criminal complaint.

Police said two teenage children live in the home and had easy access to the drugs and two of the guns.

Police said officers responded to the fight in the 1300 block of Constitution Boulevard around 4:30 p.m. Monday. Officers were told the woman “was smashing wine bottles and had pistols out.”

No charges were found against the woman.

Police said there was an overpowering odor of marijuana coming from the house, and that marijuana and suspected ecstasy were in plain view.

Police said the woman directed officers to two handguns in a nightstand drawer. One, police said, was covered in blood. Police said the woman told them the guns were hers because Taylor is a felon, but also told police that he had a shotgun.

Asked where the shotgun was, police said Taylor directed them to the rafters of the laundry room, where the shotgun was found in a gun bag. It was not loaded but had four live shells on the stock.

Police said Taylor and the woman gave consent for officers to search the home. Police said the ammunition they found consisted of 10 rounds of 12 gauge shells; 154 rounds of .45-caliber plus a fully loaded Ruger .45 magazine; and 35 rounds of .380 ammunition, plus two more boxes of .380 ammunition for which a count was not given.

Police said they seized a large number of drug and drug paraphernalia items including nearly 70 suspected ecstasy pills; 110 grams (about 4 ounces) of marijuana, 10 THC pills and a THC cartridge; eight containers of marijuana with patient information for Taylor and three empty marijuana containers labeled for his use; two marijuana grinders; two digital scales; a jar of marijuana seeds and a bag with stems; and a vape pen with THC oil..

Police said they found a marijuana grow light, a marijuana plant and fertilizer in a storage room.

According to the complaint, Taylor has a prescription for marijuana and told officers he smokes it and makes tea. Police said Taylor told officers that the ecstasy pills were his but that he did not use them himself.

Taylor did not have an attorney listed in court records.

Taylor was arraigned Tuesday before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. on charges of prohibited possession of a firearm, two counts of child endangerment and drug offenses. He was released from the Westmoreland County Prison after posting a $25,000 bond on Wednesday, according to court records.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 17 before Pallone.