Brooksville man Chamberlain Chaney, 26, is headed to federal prison for 5 years and 10 months after being caught with a stolen, fully loaded Glock .40 caliber pistol—just one more bullet in a criminal trajectory federal judges are no longer willing to dodge.
U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich handed down the sentence in Tampa today, ordering Chaney to serve 70 months behind bars for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition—a charge that hits hard when the defendant has a rap sheet thick enough to stop a bullet.
On September 20, 2015, Tampa cops tried to question Chaney about a recent robbery. Instead of answering questions, he ran—tossing a loaded Glock as he bolted. The gun had been reported stolen. Officers recovered it within minutes. The chase ended fast. The consequences, however, are built to last.
Chaney pleaded guilty on October 4, 2016, admitting to the firearm charge. Federal law barred him from possessing any weapon: prior convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed firearm, and resisting arrest with violence made that clear. Yet he carried anyway—playing a game of Russian roulette with the justice system.
The Tampa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Natalie Hirt Adams prosecuted, ensuring no legal loopholes slipped through. The court also ordered forfeiture of the Glock .40 caliber pistol and 15 live rounds—evidence that doubles as a warning.
This case falls under the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” initiative, a nationwide push to crush gun violence. U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, and ATF Special Agent in Charge Daryl R. McCrary are driving enforcement in the Middle District of Florida—sending a clear message: felons with firearms don’t get second chances.
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More