Bryan Lyndell Chapman, a 27-year-old from Mississippi, has been sentenced to three years and ten months in federal prison. The sentencing was handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan in Jacksonville, Florida. Chapman faced charges for manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered Chapman to forfeit a Bushmaster pistol, ammunition, and a printer used in his counterfeiting activities. He is also required to make restitution to those he defrauded.
Chapman was arrested on February 26, 2024, after an investigation revealed his involvement in producing counterfeit currency during travels from Tennessee to Florida between late 2023 and January 2024. On January 17, 2024, authorities found him with a loaded firearm and equipment for making counterfeit money inside a vehicle he was traveling in as a passenger.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) discovered 78 counterfeit $20 bills and incomplete pages with only the front of $20 bills printed. Further investigations revealed that Chapman was out on bond for a felony firearm charge pending in Mississippi and had previous convictions for felony aggravated assault in Tennessee. As such, federal law prohibits him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The case involved investigations 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 prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration among law enforcement agencies at all levels and community engagement efforts launched on May 26, 2021.