Convicted Georgia felon gets prison time on gun charges

MACON – A convicted felon apprehended in possession of a firearm while attempting to break into vehicles in downtown Macon was sentenced to federal prison for his crime, acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia Peter D. Leary said.

Matthew Dixon, 33, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 41 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Tilman “Tripp” Self, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Dixon previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system.

“I applaud law enforcement for working 24/7 in an effort to keep Macon safe,” Leary said. “Repeat offenders who are arrested in illegal possession of guns should know they face the possibility of their criminal cases being transferred to the federal court system. Thank you to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and ATF for their work in this case.”

“This case represents how potentially dangerous a career criminal with a gun can be,” Bibb County Sheriff David Davis said. “Thanks to the good work of the Bibb deputy and the follow-up by federal authorities, this felon will be off our streets for a few years.”

On Oct. 4, 2019, at approximately 1:26 a.m., the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a suspicious person trying to break into parked vehicles in downtown Macon. Dixon, matching the complainant’s description and exiting a vehicle described by the complainant, was spotted by the deputy. Dixon fled on foot, and the deputy saw Dixon attempt to pull something from his pants with his right hand, which was later found to be a .40 caliber pistol. The deputy repeatedly gave commands for Dixon to stop, but he did not comply and was tased after multiple warnings. Dixon was taken into custody. Dixon was previously convicted of five counts of entering autos in the Superior Court of Baldwin County.

The case was investigated by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard prosecuted the case for the government.

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