A federal jury in Jacksonville has convicted a 40-year-old Columbia County man of lying to a licensed firearms dealer about a domestic violence restraining order so he could buy a handgun. Bryan Steven Etheridge tried to purchase a .40-caliber pistol in Columbia County on May 10, 2025, telling the dealer on a federal background-check form that he was not subject to any court order barring him from harassing or threatening an intimate partner or child, a claim prosecutors say was false.
A Purchase Blocked by a Restraining Order
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe in a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice. The office also flagged the outcome on social media through the account of USAO Middle Florida, which posted the result this week.
According to the same statement, the case traces back to a 2024 domestic violence injunction that Etheridge's wife, the mother of their six children, obtained against him, an order that remained active through early 2026. Prosecutors say Etheridge denied the injunction's existence when he filled out the purchase paperwork, even though it was still in effect at the time.
How the Federal Background-Check Form Works
Federal law requires prospective gun buyers to complete an ATF Form 4473, answering questions about criminal history, domestic violence orders, and substance abuse before a dealer can run a check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, according to Justice Department materials. Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8), as detailed by the Center for American Progress, anyone actively subject to a qualifying domestic violence order is barred from receiving or possessing a firearm or ammunition, a prohibition that applied to Etheridge when he attempted the purchase.
Etheridge faces a maximum of five years in federal prison, with sentencing scheduled for November 16, 2026. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Lasseter and David Mesrobian as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Operation Take Back America, department-wide initiatives aimed at reducing gun violence.
Rare Prosecutions for Lying on Gun Forms
Federal prosecutions for false statements on gun-purchase forms are uncommon. A U.S. Government Accountability Office report found that of more than 112,000 federal background-check denials recorded in fiscal year 2017, prosecutors pursued criminal charges in just 12 cases. Most denials nationwide are instead handled through warning letters or administrative notices rather than criminal prosecution, according to the same report.
Part of a Broader Middle Florida Crackdown
Etheridge's conviction adds to a growing tally of federal gun cases across the region. During the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 alone, federal prosecutors in the Middle District of Florida charged 74 people with firearms, narcotics, and violent crime offenses and seized more than 195 firearms under Project Safe Neighborhoods, per Justice Department figures covering the district's 35 Florida counties.
Why the Case Was Tried in Jacksonville
Although Etheridge lived in Columbia County, whose county seat is Lake City, his case was tried in federal court in Jacksonville. Columbia County falls under the Jacksonville Division of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, which covers 12 counties across North Florida, according to Ballotpedia.
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