One Bullet Was Enough to a Send a Lexington Park Man to Jail for Violating Protective Order

Justin Tyler Chapman, 20, of Lexington Park, was arrested on September 5, 2024, after allegedly possessing ammunition illegally and violating a protective order. The arrest followed an investigation by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, prompted by a tip from a concerned individual.

According to court documents, Deputy Devin Absher responded to Chapman’s residence on Poplar Ridge Road around 10:45 p.m. on September 4, 2024, after receiving information from the complainant. The complainant reported that Chapman had been in possession of a firearm for several months, despite being prohibited from having any firearms or ammunition due to a prior conviction. She stated that there was an active protective order against Chapman, issued on May 22, 2024, which required him to surrender all firearms to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office.

Upon arriving at the residence, Deputy Absher spoke with the homeowner, who was not the initial complainant and she informed the officer that Chapman had been renting a room from her for about a year and a half. She allowed Deputy Absher to enter Chapman’s room, where he observed a magazine with a single round of ammunition in plain view on a bedside table. After being asked by police, the homeowner told police that on August 24, 2024, she had seen a box of PMC Bronze 9mm ammunition on Chapman’s bed with eight rounds missing, alongside an empty magazine.

Shortly after Deputy Absher’s arrival, Chapman returned to the residence, and was detained on-site and read his Miranda rights. Chapman agreed to speak with Deputy Absher and made several statements during questioning.

Chapman told the officer, “I do not currently possess a firearm,” but admitted that the ammunition found in his room had been there since his first conviction in 2023. He acknowledged that he was aware of his prohibited status due to the previous conviction and the active protective order, which explicitly forbids him from possessing any firearms or ammunition. Despite this, Chapman confirmed that he had not surrendered the ammunition, stating that it had been left in his room.

Further investigation by the Maryland Gun Center confirmed that Chapman is indeed prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to his conviction on May 19, 2023, for possession of a firearm by a minor. The protective order, valid through May 21, 2025, requires Chapman to surrender all firearms to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office and to refrain from possessing any firearms for the duration of the order.

As a result of these findings, Chapman was charged with illegal possession of ammunition and violating a protective order. He is currently being held without bond at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center. A bail review hearing is scheduled for September 6, 2024, and a trial is set for October 22, 2024, in St. Mary’s District Court.

This entry was posted on September 5, 2024 at 1:14 pm and is filed under A, All News, County, Law Enforcement, More News, St. Mary's News, z 600X120 Top Ad Bottom, z Police Ad Top. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.