Mafia Criminal Gang founder pleads guilty to federal gun charge

The Albany Herald, Ga.
·2 min read

MACON – The founder of the Mafia Criminal street gang, who has a lengthy criminal history in the middle Georgia community, is facing up to 15 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.

Alphonzo Clyde, 39, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on April 10 before Chief U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. Clyde is facing a maximum of 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Clyde’s sentencing is scheduled for July 3. There is no parole in the federal system.

“The Mafia Criminal Gang is tied to violent crime and large-scale fentanyl distribution in Macon and middle Georgia, causing grave harm to our community,” U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary said in a news release. “Federal, state and local law enforcement are focused on dismantling all violent criminal enterprises and holding their associates accountable in our collaborative effort to keep people safe.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, Clyde is the documented founder of the 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 our 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 is prosecuting the case for the government.