Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty To Firearm And Counterfeiting Charges

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Bryan Lyndell Chapman (26, Mississippi) has pleaded guilty to manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Chapman faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the counterfeiting charge, up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the firearm charge, and payment of restitution to the victims he defrauded. As part of the plea agreement, Chapman has agreed to forfeit a Bushmaster pistol, ammunition, and a printer, all traceable to his offenses. Chapman was arrested on February 26, 2024, and ordered detained. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 26, 2024.

According to court documents, in late 2023 into January 2024, Chapman traveled from Tennessee to Florida. During his trip, he manufactured counterfeit Federal Reserve notes and passed them at various businesses. On January 17, 2024, a member of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) investigated a vehicle occupied by Chapman. During the investigation, the CCSO located inside the vehicle a loaded firearm, ammunition, equipment for manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes, 78 counterfeit $20 bills, and 35 pages of incomplete counterfeit bills with only the front of a $20 bill printed on it. The CCSO subsequently determined that Chapman was out on bond for a felony firearm charge pending in Mississippi and had previously been convicted in Tennessee of felony aggravated assault. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This 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. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.