Kenya Chapman, Illegal Gun Sales, Virginia 2026

NORFOLK, VA – Kenya Mcchell Chapman, 32, of Smithfield, Virginia, is facing federal charges today after authorities connected him to the firearm used in the March 12th shooting at Old Dominion University (ODU). The shooting left one decorated American veteran dead and two others wounded. Chapman is accused of not only illegally selling the weapon but also of a pattern of prior gun trafficking offenses, raising questions about why he wasn’t stopped sooner.

According to court documents, Chapman is charged with dealing in firearms without a license and three counts of making false statements during firearm purchases. Attorney General Pamela Bondi delivered a sharp rebuke of previous handling of the case, stating, “The Biden Department of Justice declined to prosecute this man and let him off easy with a warning. Left-wing soft-on-crime policies cost lives — but this Department of Justice doesn’t tolerate crime, we punish it.”

The investigation revealed the firearm allegedly used by Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, the ODU shooter, was stolen from a vehicle in Newport News a year prior. Chapman is accused of selling the weapon to Jalloh just days before the campus attack. Jalloh, a convicted felon with a history of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, was legally prohibited from possessing firearms. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, “Chapman allegedly stole a firearm and illegally sold it to a convicted terrorist… and he will finally face the full weight of justice.”

This isn’t Chapman’s first brush with the law regarding illegal firearms. Authorities uncovered evidence that in 2021, Chapman allegedly purchased three firearms that later surfaced at crime scenes. Two were recovered from a homicide scene, and another from an incident involving a person found drunk in public. The ATF’s Washington Field Division, alongside the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, executed a search of Chapman’s residence, recovering ammunition consistent with the weapon used in the ODU shooting.

FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized the agency’s commitment to tracking down those who arm dangerous individuals, stating, “If you steal firearms, lie on federal forms, and put weapons in the hands of convicted terrorists, this FBI will find you.” ATF Deputy Director Robert Cekada added, “Today’s arrest sends an unequivocal message: If you steal or illegally buy firearms, you will be brought to justice.”

If convicted on all charges, Chapman faces a maximum prison sentence of 35 years. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke Bresnahan and Rebecca Gantt for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. It is crucial to remember that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and Chapman is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities continuing to examine the full scope of Chapman’s alleged criminal activity.

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