When Khayri Wilder, Sr. climbed into the backseat of a car knowing a loaded firearm was inside, he made a choice. Wilder is a convicted felon legally barred from possessing a weapon. When he lied to deputies about his identity to hide active warrants, he made another choice. And when he took the stand to fabricate a story the jury didn’t believe, he made yet another. On Tuesday, February 10th, 2026, a Bibb County jury held him accountable for those choices, convicting Wilder of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Giving False Information to a Law Enforcement Officer stemming from a September 2021 traffic stop.
The incident began when Bibb County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle with an expired drive-out tag, officially known as a Temporary Operating Permit (TOP). During the stop, deputies discovered that an occupant was smoking marijuana. When deputies identified the passengers, Wilder provided the false name “Jonathan Wilder.” After the false name returned no results, deputies used a fingerprint scanner to reveal Wilder’s true identity and discovered he had outstanding warrants. During a search incident to arrest, a firearm was located in Wilder’s back pocket.
At trial, Wilder took the stand and contested the deputies’ testimony, claiming the firearm was left in the vehicle by a friend and that he had entered the vehicle knowing the weapon was present but intending only to return it. He acknowledged that he was aware he was prohibited from being around or possessing firearms due to his prior felony conviction. Wilder also admitted to lying about his identity because of his active warrants.
“This conviction demonstrates that our community will not tolerate individuals who knowingly violate the law and then compound their crimes by lying to law enforcement,” said District Attorney Anita Howard. “Mr. Wilder made a series of conscious choices that led to this outcome. The jury saw through these deceptions and held him accountable. We are grateful for their service and for the diligent work of the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office in bringing this case to justice.”
The case presented unique challenges for the state, as the deputies involved were assigned to a specialized unit and were not equipped with body cameras or dash cameras. Despite this obstacle, prosecutors successfully proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Following the conviction, the State requested a sentence of 10 years to serve in prison. The Court sentenced Wilder to 10 years with the first 4 years to serve in prison.