A Kissimmee man with a history of felony convictions has been handed a substantial federal prison sentence for firearms and ammunition offenses. Edward Charleston Chappell, age 41, will spend 15 years and eight months behind bars following a sentence by U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza. The Department of Justice announced the sentencing, including a forfeiture order for the weapons and ammunition.
Chappell, who had previously pleaded guilty on June 17, was arrested after selling fentanyl to an undercover agent on July 13. A subsequent search warrant led to the discovery of various illegal substances, including cocaine and methamphetamine, along with a Glock pistol, a Ruger pistol, and associated ammunition, in his hotel room. This incident marked the latest in Chappell's string of criminal activities, with past convictions predominantly including the delivery and possession of cocaine.
Federal law prohibits convicted felons like Chappell even momentarily to possess firearms or ammunition. The Drug Enforcement Administration, alongside the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, conducted the investigation leading to Chappell's arrest and prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman was responsible for prosecuting this case.
