Savannah man charged on machine gun, drug charges
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — The U.S. District Court has charged a Savannah man for weapon and drug charges, the Southern District's Office announced on Thursday.
Malik Javier McKenzie, 27, was convicted on multiple charges stemming from a traffic stop and police chase.
The press release said that McKenzie was driving a motor vehicle that recklessly avoided police after an attempted traffic stop. That vehicle crashed and McKenzie reportedly ran from law enforcement, resulting in a physical struggle.
Law enforcement then searched McKenzie and discovered a Glock handgun in his pants pocket and a fanny pack containing cocaine, fentanyl, carfentanil, an opioid, and meth.
Testing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) revealed that the recovered handgun also bore a 'machinegun conversion device,' commonly referred to as a 'Glock switch,' which allowed the firearm to function as a machinegun.
McKenzie was found guilty 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, said Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia Tara M. Lyons.
The court said that McKenzie will be sentenced to a minimum penalty of 30 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison, followed by a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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