Leland Blaine Chapman (born December 14, 1976 in Groom, Texas[1]) is an American bail bondsman and bounty hunter, boxer, kick boxer, extreme boxing and mixed martial arts fighter most noted for his role on A&E TV's Dog the Bounty Hunter, in which he, along with his father Duane "Dog" Chapman and various friends and family track down and capture wanted fugitives.
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Leland Blaine Chapman was born the third son of Duane Chapman (Dog the bounty hunter) and Dog's first wife, La Fonda Sue Darnall (née Honeycutt). When Leland was eight months old, his father was sent to prison. During Dog's incarceration, Leland's parents divorced; he did not see his father again until he was eight years old, when Dog gained visitation rights to see him and his brother, Duane Lee. Until then, Leland had believed that his stepfather was his biological father.
Leland spent his early years in Pampa, Texas, but during his teen years, moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado. As a teenager, Leland got into trouble and his mother, who could not handle him any longer, put him into foster care, where he was placed in a boys' home. At thirteen, Leland was given the option to go back into foster care or go to live with his father; he chose to live with his father.
At seventeen, Leland began training in boxing and mixed martial arts. With the help of his good friend, Sonny Westbrook (who has appeared many times on Dog the Bounty Hunter), Leland won many competitions. In 2003, Leland gave up competing in boxing, kickboxing and Extreme Boxing after an injury to his left knee; even after surgery he was told he could never fight again, lest he risk losing the use of his leg. During early filming of Dog The Bounty Hunter, Leland can be seen wearing a knee brace after having spent 4 months off his feet.
Leland works for his father, Duane "Dog" Chapman, at their family's bail bonds company, Da Kine Bail Bonds. Other family members working for the company include Beth Chapman (née Smith; Dog's current wife), Duane Lee Chapman (Dog's son/Leland's brother), and "Baby" Lyssa Chapman (Dog's daughter/Leland's half-sister), among others.
Leland, along with his brothers, Duane Lee and Wesley Chapman formed Chapbros Media. The company has launched an iPhone, iPod Touch and website talent contest application called, "Show Off".[2]
Leland has 3 children: Dakota Chapman, Cobie Chapman and Leiah Breanna Chapman.
On September 14, 2006, Leland Chapman was arrested along with Duane "Dog" Chapman and Tim Chapman by U.S. Marshals at the request of the Mexican government and was to be extradited to Mexico to face charges of "deprivation of liberty".
The charges stem from an incident in which Leland, Dog, and Tim were chasing fugitive and serial rapist Andrew Luster, the Max Factor Cosmetics heir. They captured Luster on June 18, 2003 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Shortly after the capture, the three were themselves arrested by Puerto Vallarta police officers; the three posted bail but never returned to Mexico for their court hearing on July 15, 2003.[3]
Leland, Dog, and Tim were released from custody on bail; Leland and Tim's bail was set at $100,000 each, while Dog's was set at $300,000. After their release, all three were fitted with electronic bracelets, and were ordered to surrender their passports and not leave the state of Hawaii. They faced an extradition hearing to Mexico, under the terms of treaties between the United States and Mexico.[4]
On the August 4, 2007 episode of Larry King Live, it was announced that the Mexican government had dropped the charges filed against the three bounty hunters. If convicted, the three could have been sentenced to up to four years in prison.