MACON, Ga. –  A multiple-time convicted felon has been sentenced to serve 18 years in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Antonio Jenord Whitehead, 37, of Macon, was sentenced to serve a total of 216 months in prison (168 months imprisonment to be served consecutively to the revocation sentences of 24 months imprisonment in Case No. 5:23-CR-16 and 24 months imprisonment in Case No. 5:23-CR-17) to be followed by five years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on June 5. Whitehead previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl on April 3. There is no parole in the fentanyl system.

“Those who push fentanyl into Middle Georgia risk lives and make our communities more dangerous places to live and work,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This case reflects that the penalties for such conduct will be steep, especially when the perpetrators are repeat felons.”

“Despite previous convictions, Whitehead continued to plague our communities with fentanyl, fueling the deadliest drug epidemic our country has ever seen,” said Robert Gibbs, Senior Supervisor Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “This conviction demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to work diligently along with our local and federal partners to investigate and remove the leaders of these drug trafficking operations from our streets.”

According to court documents, on Feb. 20, 2023, the car Whitehead was traveling in was stopped for multiple violations on Georgia Highway 401 by a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy. The officer smelled drugs, and the driver had a suspended license. As backup arrived, and a probable cause search was being conducted on the vehicle, Whitehead ran to the driver’s seat and attempted to drive away. An officer shot out the rear tires of the vehicle to prevent a high-speed chase, and Whitehead was arrested. Inside the vehicle, deputies located a suitcase which contained plastic bags filled with fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine. Whitehead also had several bags of marijuana and a bag of fentanyl on him. In total, Whitehead possessed 207 grams of fentanyl, 554 grams of methamphetamine and 101 grams of cocaine. At the time of this traffic stop and arrest, Whitehead was under supervised release for two prior federal drug distribution convictions in the Southern District of West Virginia.

The case was investigated by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes prosecuted the case for the Government.