Bryan Lyndell Chapman, a 27-year-old from Mississippi, has been sentenced to three years and ten months in federal prison for manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
The sentence was handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan, who also ordered Chapman to forfeit a Bushmaster pistol, ammunition, a printer, and make restitution to his victims.
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Chapman was arrested on February 26, 2024, and has remained in custody since.
Court documents reveal that between late 2023 and January 2024, Chapman traveled from Tennessee to Florida, engaging in counterfeiting activities during his trip. He manufactured counterfeit $20 bills and used them at various businesses.
On January 17, 2024, deputies from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) investigated a vehicle where Chapman was a passenger. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement discovered:
- A loaded firearm
- Ammunition
- Equipment for manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes
- 78 counterfeit $20 bills
- 35 incomplete counterfeit pages with the front of $20 bills printed on them
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Further investigation revealed that Chapman was out on bond for a felony firearm charge in Mississippi at the time of his arrest. He also had a prior felony conviction for aggravated assault in Tennessee. As a convicted felon, Chapman is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
In addition to the prison sentence, Chapman was ordered to forfeit the firearm, ammunition, and counterfeiting equipment, and make restitution to the businesses he defrauded.
The case was investigated by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – Jacksonville Office, and the United States Secret Service – Jacksonville Office.
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