ALEXANDRIA, VA. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)), published as received.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a dual U.S.-Jordanian citizen today on charges of possession of an unregistered firearm and improper storage of explosive materials.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on March 18, 2025, deputies with the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) served a writ of eviction against Amer Taisir Zghailat Qaralleh, 42, at a residence in Springfield. Deputies observed several firearms in plain view. Deputies secured four firearms, including a sawed-off shotgun. When asked if there were any additional weapons inside the residence, Qarallah indicated there was another firearm in a backpack in the living room. Deputies located the backpack and found the firearm as well as four explosive devices.
The shotgun Qaralleh possessed was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by law.
Zghailat Qaralleh is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. He faces up to 10 years in prison for possession of an unregistered firearm and up to a year in prison for improper storage of explosive materials. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case with assistance from FCSO.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas A. Durham and Robert Strange are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-2.
