A Nicaraguan man whose arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Pittsburgh's Mount Washington neighborhood was captured on video is expected to plead guilty in federal court, according to recent filings. Under a proposed deal, he would serve roughly nine months in custody before being deported. The plea hearing and an expedited sentencing are both set for 1:30 p.m. Friday at the federal courthouse in downtown Pittsburgh.
What prosecutors say
In a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, federal investigators identify the defendant as 33-year-old Darwin Alexander Davila-Perez. Prosecutors say the Dec. 17, 2025, stop came after he allegedly tried and failed to buy a handgun from a licensed dealer.
According to that account, when ICE agents switched on emergency lights to detain him, Davila-Perez reversed his vehicle into a law enforcement car, then ran and struggled with agents. Prosecutors allege he elbowed an officer, tried to pull a service weapon, bit another officer’s arm, and hit a third agent with a handcuff. The indictment says agents suffered contusions, abrasions, and a bite wound that required medical treatment.
Defense response and plea deal
As reported by TribLIVE, court filings show Davila-Perez plans to plead guilty to a single count of assaulting a federal agent under an agreement that recommends a nine-month prison term followed by deportation.
Defense attorneys argue that video evidence and other filings undercut parts of the government’s version of events. TribLIVE obtained footage that shows masked ICE agents escorting Davila-Perez into a van. Defense filings reviewed by the outlet also outline his recent work history as a meat griller, painter, and app-based delivery driver, and say he has no prior criminal record.
Legal outlook
Assaulting a federal officer is a felony that can carry a sentence of up to 20 years under federal law, the U.S. Attorney’s Office notes. The office says Homeland Security Investigations and ICE conducted the investigation that led to the indictment, and court records indicate Davila-Perez has remained in custody since his arrest.
If the judge accepts the plea agreement, the court would impose a federal sentence and, after that criminal case is resolved, an immigration order to remove him from the United States would follow.
Why this matters now
The December confrontation drew outsized attention because it was caught on video and involved reportedly injured agents, and Friday’s scheduled plea hearing is the first major step toward resolving the high-profile case. Local residents and immigration watchdog groups are expected to keep a close eye on proceedings at the Joseph F. Weis Jr. U.S. Courthouse to see whether the judge signs off on the recommended sentence and the linked immigration outcome.
