MACON, Ga. — A Wilkinson County man with a "violent past" pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm during an armed confrontation with law enforcement, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
Now, they say he faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
The release says Christopher Thomas Ford - who was previously convicted of a prior felony - got in an armed standoff with police, threatening to kill them when they attempted to arrest him.
“I ain’t playing with y’all, I ain’t going back to prison, you can kill me or I’m going to kill y’all,” Ford said during the arrest on Dec. 20, 2022 according to the police.
They say Ford, 57, previously served time in prison for terroristic threats, assault, possession of cocaine and cruelty to children. Since he was convicted of a felony, he was banned from possessing a firearm under federal law.
For this most recent arrest, Ford pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm. The release says he knew he wasn't supposed to own a gun because he was a convicted felon, and that he was attempting to commit "suicide by police."
“Convicted felons are prohibited from possessing firearms; our office will seek federal prosecution against people who disregard the law, especially those with violent criminal pasts,” U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia Peter D. Leary said.
They say Ford will serve a maximum of 15 years in prison and will face three years of supervised release afterward. He is also facing a maximum fine of $250,000.
The case was worked by the FBI, the GBI and the Wilkinson County Sheriff's Office, according to the release.
“The GBI will continue to leverage our partnerships with local, state and federal agencies that are working to reduce violent crime," GBI Director Chris Hosey said. "We will not tolerate acts that put our communities and law enforcement in danger, and we will work to make sure that dangerous criminals like Ford are off the streets."