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Asylum-seeker acquitted on federal gun charges in Houston

Sohaib Abuayyash was 20 at the time of his arrest last year and had been seeking asylum in the United States when he was taken into custody and charged.

HOUSTON — A man who was arrested on federal gun charges last year was found not guilty by a jury on Wednesday, months after he was taken into custody and charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

The trial in a federal courtroom started on Monday.

Sohaib Abuayyash, who was 20 at the time of his arrest in October 2023, had been seeking asylum in the United States when he was arrested.

RELATED: FBI arrests Palestinian asylum seeker in case tied to guns, shooting ranges in Houston area

According to a criminal complaint, Abuayyash came to law enforcement's attention in the summer of 2023 after posting social media videos of himself firing guns, including an "AR-style" rifle and handguns. The videos, posted on TikTok as well as Instagram, prompted a wider investigation and led agents to a pair of Houston-area gun ranges.

RELATED: FBI director: Man arrested in Houston supports killing Jews and studied how to build bombs

The FBI said its investigation revealed that Abuayyash traveled to the U.S. twice -- between 2016 and 2019 -- before eventually overstaying a tourist visa and living illegally in the U.S. for several months. Abuayyash claimed to be a citizen of Jordan when he entered the U.S. in 2016. In 2019, he applied for asylum status as a Palestinian. During the second trip, he entered the country using a Palestinian passport, and according to investigators, he later applied for asylum status.

After his acquittal, Abuayyash remained in custody due to an immigration detainer.

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