A 22-year-old man accused of shooting an off-duty U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officer in Fort Washington Park has admitted in federal court to a single charge tied to ammunition possession. On Monday, Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition as an unauthorized immigrant, a narrow federal count that leaves a parallel slate of state charges in Manhattan very much alive. He is scheduled for sentencing in September and could face a lengthy prison term if the judge opts for the statutory maximum.
In entering his plea, Mora Nunez acknowledged he had no lawful immigration status and agreed to surrender several cartridges to the government, according to Gothamist. He read from a prepared statement in Spanish, telling the court he was born in Santo Domingo and left school after the seventh grade. Observers in the courtroom described him in a khaki jail jumpsuit with his ankles shackled as he formally said he was guilty.
Federal charging papers state that the shooting unfolded on July 19, 2025, at Fort Washington Park, where prosecutors say Mora Nunez and co-defendant Christhian Aybar-Berroa first stole a woman’s cellphone, then approached the off-duty officer, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. The complaint alleges Mora Nunez fired at least two shots, hitting the officer in the face and arm. The officer returned fire, wounding Mora Nunez in the leg and groin. Both men survived, and prosecutors say they were later arrested.
Legal Proceedings and Co-defendant
Even with the federal plea, Mora Nunez still faces an array of state charges in Manhattan, including attempted murder, assault, robbery and weapons possession. His co-defendant, Aybar-Berroa, has pleaded not guilty to related allegations, Gothamist reports. In federal court, the plea is limited to the ammunition count, but prosecutors noted that the conviction makes deportation a presumptive outcome. Defense lawyers declined to comment to reporters after the hearing.
Why the Case Drew Attention
The U.S. Attorney's Office framed the arrests as part of what it described as a pattern of violent crimes committed by people in the country unlawfully, and its July press release noted that both defendants were subject to orders of removal. That language helped propel the case into the broader national fight over sanctuary policies and federal immigration enforcement. Federal and city officials have also cited the incident in public remarks about mopeds and quick getaways in street robberies. At the same time, civil-liberties organizations and immigrant-rights advocates have warned against using a single criminal case to paint entire immigrant communities as dangerous while the courts sort out the evidence.
Next Steps
Mora Nunez is due back in federal court for sentencing in September, while his state case continues in Manhattan Criminal Court and Aybar-Berroa’s federal case remains open. The ammunition conviction carries a maximum possible sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Advocates and officials on both sides of the immigration debate say they are watching closely to see how the intertwined state and federal cases shape arguments over public safety and immigration policy in New York City and beyond.
