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. ยง 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…