A University of Minnesota professor illegally purchased guns while facing felony charges, according to records.

Massoud Amin, director of the University’s Technological Leadership Institute, was charged with seven gross misdemeanors for buying guns on seven occasions in July while under felony indictment. 

Amin, who is also a professor of electrical and computer engineering, was charged with aggravated forgery — a felony — for giving false information on documents to a divorce attorney in 2015. 

Federal law bars those under felony charges from purchasing firearms. When buying a firearm, one must submit a firearms transaction record, a federal document that requires the person to indicate if they are under indictment or information for a felony. 

Christopher Madel, Amin’s defense attorney, said Amin was facing a criminal complaint and wasn’t formally indicted on charges, which would make the purchases legal. 

“[Amin] will not plead guilty, and we plan to demonstrate that in court,” Madel said

Amin is still an active faculty member at the University.

“Based on the information available at this time, no policy has been violated,” said Evan Lapiska, a University spokesperson.

According to Lapiska, the University is treating this as “largely a personal matter.” Still, he said the University would reevaluate the situation if new information became available.