Mafia gang leader sentenced to 15 years on gun charges

MACON – The founder of the Macon Mafia criminal street gang who has a lengthy criminal history in the middle Georgia community was sentenced to the maximum prison term allowed by law for illegally possessing a firearm.

Alphonzo Clyde, 45, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. Clyde pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on April 10. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Alphonzo Clyde and the Mafia wreaked havoc in Macon and beyond for years,” U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary said. “This significant sentence should directly result in reduced violence, and it would not have been possible without our strong federal and local law enforcement connection.”

“Despite a lengthy criminal history, Clyde continued to break the law,” Robert Gibbs, supervisory senior resident agent of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office, said. “This sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to work thoroughly with our local and federal partners to investigate and remove the leaders of drug trafficking organizations from our streets by whatever means necessary.”

“Alfonso Clyde is a notorious criminal whose career of mayhem has spanned nearly 30 years,” Bibb County Sheriff David J. Davis said. “This investigative and prosecution result is a testament to the importance of local agencies working together with our federal partners. Macon and the entire middle Georgia community is better off having this gangster off our streets for many years to come.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, Clyde is the founder of the Macon Mafia, a criminal street gang operating in middle Georgia and West Virginia. Clyde was wanted on an outstanding probation violation warrant when officers from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office took him into custody on Oct. 8, 2023.

At the time of his arrest, officers spotted a digital scale with a white powdery substance located on the front passenger seat of the SUV that Clyde was driving. Officers also detected a marijuana odor emanating from his vehicle. Officers found a Taurus G2S 9-millimeter handgun inside the glovebox. Clyde has multiple prior felony convictions. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make neighborhoods safer for everyone. 

The case was investigated by the FBI, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom prosecuted the case for the government.

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