Bibb County Jail Escapee Sentenced to Life in Prison for Armed Drug Trafficking

MACON, Ga. – A Macon man who broke out of the Bibb County Jail in 2023 as he was awaiting federal sentencing for armed drug trafficking and who was later captured in Augusta, Georgia, allegedly possessing kilograms of fentanyl and methamphetamine plus firearms was sentenced to life plus five years in prison today.

Johnifer Dernard Barnwell, aka “Whoop,” aka “Malixe,” 38, was sentenced to serve life in prison after he was found guilty at trial of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base; and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Oct. 2, 2023, in Case No. 5:22-CR-00009. In addition, Barnwell was sentenced to serve the statutory maximum of five years in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of escape from custody in Case No. 5:23-CR-62-001 on July 18, 2024. U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal handed down the sentences on March 11. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Despite his attempts to escape justice, Johnifer Barnwell has been held accountable for his criminal actions,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Law enforcement officers risked their lives to ensure that a repeat felon was brought to justice and to prevent the distribution of some of the deadliest drugs in our state. I commend them, and our federal prosecution team, for their bravery and the excellent work in this case.”

“Gangs wreak havoc on local residents, engaging in violence and peddling dangerous drugs that devastate communities and families," said Senior Supervisory Special Agent Robert Gibbs of FBI Macon. "As this case demonstrates, cooperation between federal, state and local law enforcement is vital to dismantling violent criminal enterprises and keeping our communities safe."

“The successful resolution of this case demonstrates the importance of our professional partnerships,” said U.S. Marshal Stephen D. Lynn. “Each agency played a specific and vital role in helping to bring Johnifer Barnwell to justice.”

“This sentence illustrates the penalty that repeat and dangerous felons face when they continue to cause havoc in our community,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. “We can be grateful for the investigative work of the Bibb County investigators and our federal partners in bringing Johnifer Barnwell to justice after his jail escape and his attempt to return to a life of crime.”

According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Barnwell was tried and convicted on Oct. 2, 2023, of armed drug trafficking in Case No. 5:22-CR-00009. For more information about that case, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/jury-convicts-macon-residents-armed-fentanyl-meth-heroin-trafficking. At the time, Barnwell was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) to await sentencing and was housed at the Bibb County LEC, a facility contracted by USMS to house federal inmates. Barnwell escaped from the Bibb County LEC on Oct. 16, 2023, with the assistance of several individuals. For more information on that case, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/convicted-armed-drug-trafficker-pleads-guilty-bibb-county-jail-escape and https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/macon-woman-who-assisted-bibb-county-jail-break-sentenced-prison.

Barnwell was captured in Augusta on Nov. 12, 2023, by FBI and Bibb County Sheriff’s Office deputies. He was alone in the house and was allegedly in possession of an AK-47 rifle with a loaded magazine; a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with 14 rounds; a .45 caliber pistol with a loaded magazine; an extended capacity magazine; a drum magazine; 23,000 grams of methamphetamine; and more than 3,200 grams of fentanyl.

The case was investigated by FBI, USMS and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom prosecuted the case for the Government.