Daryl Campbell, known publicly as Taxstone, is already serving 35 years in federal prison for his role in the 2016 shooting at a T.I. concert in New York City that killed Ronald Banga’ McPhatter, the bodyguard of rapper Troy Ave. Now he is facing a potential extension to that sentence after federal prosecutors filed for an additional 33 months tied to a drug smuggling operation he allegedly orchestrated from inside Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center.
Taxstone pleaded guilty in September to one count of conspiracy to provide and possess contraband in a federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 29, where a judge will decide how much additional time, if any, he will serve.
How the smuggling operation worked with Taxstone
According to prosecutors, the scheme unfolded on June 30, 2024, when Taxstone and four fellow inmates attempted to bring a significant quantity of contraband into the facility using a makeshift rope constructed from twisted paper. The device was loaded with over 100 strips of synthetic opioids, roughly 27 bags of marijuana, more than 400 cigarettes, two lighters, a scalpel and a cell phone charging cord and plug. Duct tape was used to pack the items together.
The plan involved co-conspirators outside the facility throwing the rope up to inmates on the recreation deck at MDC Brooklyn. Surveillance footage captured several inmates attempting to pull the rope into the building before authorities intervened. The operation collapsed when one inmate fell during the attempt, drawing attention to what was happening.
Investigators had already been watching Taxstone closely. Prior to the smuggling attempt, authorities seized a phone from a locker assigned to him. Voice recordings found on the device detailed the plan, providing prosecutors with direct evidence of his involvement in organizing the operation.
What each side is asking for
Federal prosecutors are seeking 33 months on top of Taxstone’s existing sentence, arguing the additional time should run consecutively rather than alongside the time he is already serving. That would push his total incarceration significantly further into the future for a man already looking at decades behind bars.
His attorney, Kenneth J. Montgomery, has asked the court for a sentence in the range of 25 to 30 months structured to run concurrently with the existing 35-year term. Under that arrangement, Taxstone would not serve meaningful additional time beyond what he is already committed to. The distinction between consecutive and concurrent sentencing is the central tension heading into the April 29 hearing.
A case that goes back to 2016
Taxstone’s original conviction stems from the shooting that took place during a concert at Irving Plaza in New York City in May 2016. McPhatter was killed and Troy Ave was wounded in the incident. Taxstone was identified as the shooter and eventually convicted on charges tied to the killing, receiving one of the longer sentences handed down in connection with the case.
His time at MDC Brooklyn before and during his sentence placed him in one of the federal system’s most scrutinized facilities, a detention center that has faced repeated criticism over conditions and security. The contraband operation he is accused of orchestrating reflects a broader and persistent challenge facing federal correctional facilities, where the demand for prohibited items inside creates ongoing pressure on security systems.
The four inmates identified as co-participants in the smuggling attempt were Jonathan Guerrero, Ian Diez, Abel Mora and Mayovanex Rodriguez, all of whom were captured on surveillance footage during the failed operation.
What the hearing could mean
The April 29 sentencing will not change the core facts of Campbell’s situation. He is going to spend an enormous portion of his life in federal custody regardless of how the judge rules. What the hearing will determine is whether the drug smuggling conviction adds time on top of that or folds into the sentence he is already serving.
For a man in his position, the difference between concurrent and consecutive sentencing is not abstract. It is the difference between a release date that is already far in the future and one that moves further still.
