Toomsboro man gets federal prison time

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A Toomsboro man who definitely didn’t want to go back to prison is going back to prison.

Christopher Thomas Ford, 57, recently was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison during proceedings at the Bootle Federal Building and US Courthouse in Macon.

There is no parole in the federal penal system.

Ford was involved in an armed standoff with Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office deputies back in December 2022. A pair of deputies initially arrived at Ford’s Club Road property with the intent of serving an arrest warrant. Ford spotted the deputies, grabbed his loaded 12-gauge shotgun and took a position in a shed behind the property.

“I ain’t playing with y’all! I ain’t going back to prison! You can kill me or I’m going to kill y’all,” Ford informed deputies, according to court documents.

Ford eventually emerged from the shed, still holding the shotgun. He then ran into the woodline behind his home and out of the sight of deputies. At some point between emerging from the shed and disappearing into the woods, one of the deputies fired off a shot in Ford’s direction, missing him.

Ford later told his father that he “wanted suicide by police,” added court documents.

Two months prior to the standoff, Ford was sentenced to five years probation and 50 days in the county jail. That sentence stemmed from a very similar incident back in late August 2022, when deputies responded to Ford’s home after he reportedly assaulted someone. During that incident, Ford was “walking with a large knife by his side” as deputies moved in.

A standoff ensued, with Ford reportedly repeating “I’m not going to jail! I’m not going to jail!” Ford then bolted for the woods. He eventually was tasered, handcuffed and arrested.

This will mark Ford’s third time in prison. He previously did two stints in state prison – one from April 2007 to February 2009 and the other from November 2017 to March 2019. Previous convictions include possession of cocaine, terroristic threats, aggravated assault and cruelty to children in the third degree.