Macon Man Pleads Guilty to Escape from Bibb County Jail

Johnifer Dernard Barnwell, 38, of Macon, pleaded guilty on July 18 to one count of escape from custody before U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal. Barnwell had previously been convicted on Oct. 2, 2023, of armed drug trafficking and was awaiting federal sentencing when he escaped from the Bibb County Jail on Oct. 16, 2023. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, with a sentencing date to be set by the Court.

Barnwell escaped with the assistance of several individuals, including co-defendant Janecia Green, 31, of Macon, who purchased tools used to break out of the facility. Green has already pleaded guilty to assisting in the escape and faces a similar maximum sentence.

Barnwell was recaptured on Nov. 12, 2023, in Augusta, Georgia, by FBI and Bibb County Sheriff’s Office deputies. At the time of his arrest, he was allegedly found in possession of an AK-47 rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, a .45 caliber pistol, multiple magazines, and 40 kilograms of suspected narcotics, including methamphetamine and fentanyl. The results of laboratory testing on the narcotics are pending.

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.

U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary stated, “Johnifer Barnwell cannot escape justice, no matter how hard he tries or how many people he puts at risk for his own self-interest. Our office will continue to support law enforcement by making every federal resource available to them in our collective effort to make our communities safer and hold the most dangerous repeat criminals accountable.”