Central Georgian with Violent Past Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Loaded Gun During Stand-Off with Police

MACON, Ga. – A Central Georgia resident with a violent criminal past who threatened to shoot and kill deputies attempting to execute an arrest warrant faces up to 15 years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm.

Christopher Thomas Ford, 57, of Toomsboro, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on July 8. Ford faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison to be followed by at least three years of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 9. There is no parole in the federal system.

“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,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “The Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program is aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Our office is dedicated to supporting the efforts of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to achieve this goal.”

“Wilkinson County is safer now that guns are out of the hands of this person. If Ford had put finger to trigger, the entire community would have been in danger. We are thankful for the actions of the Wilkinson County deputies and Ford’s father,” said FBI Atlanta’s Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of the Macon Office Robert Gibbs. “We are firmly committed to working with all of our partners and using all tools available to curb the violence impacting the American people – here in Georgia, and across the country.”

“The GBI will continue to leverage our partnerships with local, state and federal agencies that are working to reduce violent crime. 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,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey.

According to documents and statements referenced in court, Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office deputies went to Ford’s Toomsboro, Georgia, residence on Dec. 20, 2022, to execute an arrest warrant for terroristic threats. When deputies encountered Ford in a shed on the property, Ford threatened to shoot them while holding a loaded black Omega 12-gauge shotgun. Ford told the officers, “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 escaped into the woods and was arrested the next day when he returned to the property. Ford’s father took the shotgun from him while he was sleeping. Ford explained that he “wanted suicide by police,” and that he knew he was not allowed to have guns because he is a convicted felon. Ford has previously been convicted of possession of cocaine, terroristic threats, aggravated assault and cruelty to children in the third degree.

This case is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.

The case was investigated by FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) and the Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government.