A Savannah man has been sentenced to nearly 50 years in federal prison after being convicted on multiple drug and firearm charges, as well as attempting to influence a juror during his trial.
Malik Javier McKenzie, 27, was found guilty by a U.S. District Court jury of Possession of Controlled Substances With Intent to Distribute, Possession of a Machinegun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. According to Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, McKenzie also attempted to bribe a juror through an intermediary during the proceedings. Authorities identified this attempt before any contact was made with the juror.
After his conviction and following an FBI investigation into the jury tampering effort, McKenzie pleaded guilty to Obstruction of Justice by Endeavoring to Influence a Juror.
On July 22, 2025, Chief Judge R. Stan Baker sentenced McKenzie to serve a total of 595 months (just under 50 years) in prison followed by five years of supervised release. The sentences for his recent convictions will run concurrently but consecutively with previous sentences: he is already serving time for an earlier drug trafficking conviction (71 months) and an additional sentence for violating supervised release terms from another federal conviction in 2019. Federal law does not allow parole.
“Malik McKenzie is a repeat offender who refuses to learn from his past mistakes,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “This time, he tried to undermine our entire judicial system by attempting to bribe a juror in his trial. We are thankful for our federal and local partners for stopping this attempt and helping put this criminal behind bars for the next 49 plus years.”
“Guns, drugs, and violence are unfortunately all too common tools of the drug traffickers operating in our communities,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Today’s announcement demonstrates DEA’s emphatic commitment to attacking the drug dealers responsible for the devastation.”
"This case exemplifies the importance of collaboration among law enforcement agencies. By working together, we can effectively combat the threats posed by drug traffickers and keep our neighborhoods safe from violence and illegal firearms," said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at ATF.
The case was investigated as part of Operation Take Back America—an initiative led by the Department of Justice that aims to disrupt transnational criminal organizations and reduce violent crime through combined efforts such as those coordinated by Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). These programs coordinate local, state, and federal resources toward reducing violent crime across communities.
Multiple agencies participated in investigating this case including ATF, DEA, FBI, and Hinesville Police Department; prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley R. Thompson.
For further information or questions regarding this case or related matters involving prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Georgia: (912) 652-4422.