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…