U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg | U.S. Department of Justice
Bryan Lyndell Chapman, a 27-year-old from Mississippi, has been sentenced to three years and ten months in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan. The charges against him include manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. In addition to the prison sentence, Chapman is required to forfeit a Bushmaster pistol, ammunition, and a printer, as well as make restitution to his victims.
Chapman was arrested on February 26, 2024. Court documents reveal that between late 2023 and January 2024, he traveled from Tennessee to Florida where he produced counterfeit currency and distributed it at various businesses. On January 17, 2024, a Columbia County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) deputy found Chapman in possession of a loaded firearm, ammunition, equipment for making counterfeit notes, 78 fake $20 bills, and incomplete counterfeit pages during an investigation of the vehicle he was traveling in.
Further investigation revealed that Chapman was out on bond for a felony firearm charge in Mississippi and had previously been convicted of felony aggravated assault in Tennessee. Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The case was investigated by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office, and the United States Secret Service – Jacksonville Office. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein prosecuted the case.
This legal action is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering trust within communities and supporting community-based violence prevention efforts. The program's strategy emphasizes setting focused enforcement priorities and measuring outcomes.
