A Savannah man, Malik Javier McKenzie, has been hit with a 595-month prison sentence after convictions on drug trafficking, firearms, and jury tampering charges. McKenzie, only 27, also tried to tamper with the judicial process by reaching out to a juror with a bribe, though his attempt was thwarted by law enforcement officials, according to a recent report from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
McKenzie's sentence came following a two-day trial in U.S. District Court where he faced charges including Possession of Controlled Substances With Intent to Distribute and Possession of a Machinegun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. He also faced a charge for Endeavoring to Influence a Juror. The juror was never contacted due to quick intervention by officials. "Malik McKenzie is a repeat offender who refuses to learn from his past mistakes," said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown, in statement obtained by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The hefty sentence was handed down by Chief Judge R. Stan Baker at the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia. It is to run concurrent with his current sentences but consecutive to a 71-month sentence already being served for a prior drug conviction. McKenzie is also serving an 18-month sentence for violating his supervised release from a federal conviction in 2019. His latest offenses have earned him nearly 50 years behind bars, a clear signal that the justice system is cracking down on repeat offenders and those who would attempt to subvert it.
Through a collective effort by the ATF, DEA, FBI, and the Hinesville Police Department, McKenzie's crimes were brought to light as part of Operation Take Back America, which targets illegal immigration and aims to dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations. "Guns, drugs, and violence are unfortunately all too common tools of the drug traffickers operating in our communities," Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division, told the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The initiative is part of a larger program, Project Safe Neighborhoods, intended to reduce violent crime and improve neighborhood safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley R. Thompson prosecuted the case, highlighting the seriousness of the offenses and the uncompromising response from law enforcement. Questions concerning the case may be directed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422, as per the U.S. Department of Justice's communication protocols.
