A suspected immigrant sex offender, Gerardo Miguel Mora, was allowed to slip out the back of a Manhattan courthouse, much to the frustration of federal agents, according to reports.
The 45-year-old was arrested on charges of shoplifting and possession of stolen goods after allegedly taking $130 worth of items from an H&M in Midtown. This happened just a day before his courthouse escape.
Mora was previously arrested on January 7 for allegedly possessing crack cocaine on the Upper West Side. That case is still in court.
Back in 2011, he faced serious charges for attempted rape and strangulation after reportedly following a 21-year-old woman home, where he tried to assault her. Police say a bystander heard her screams and intervened, holding Mora until officers arrived. After that incident, he seemingly vanished for 12 years, only to resurface in 2023 when he was arrested for using fake identification.
Federal officials had been actively searching for Mora on a criminal warrant related to immigration laws. They were aware of his case, as it was included in the documentation provided to the judge during his court appearance.
During his hearing on the desk appearance ticket, the judge opted to remove a court officer, which seems to have created an opening. Though the shoplifting charge wasn’t bailable, the Democratic Judge Sheridan Jack Brown had access to the federal warrant, according to law enforcement sources.
Yet, instead of being turned over to ICE agents waiting outside, Mora managed to leave through a back entrance. Officials reported that ICE agents realized he had been released and hurried outside in pursuit.
Mora is now in federal custody, and the Justice Department faces the option of prosecuting him, deporting him, or both. New York’s status as a sanctuary city complicates matters, as it generally does not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, though direct obstruction is relatively rare.
A police source expressed frustration, noting that once Mora was arrested, the situation spiraled out of control. Recently, federal authorities had issued arrest warrants for other immigrant criminals that have also been disregarded.
A veteran NYPD officer lamented the city’s policies, suggesting that they hinder cooperation with federal efforts. He argued that those who entered the country illegally and committed crimes should face deportation.
In some cases, federal authorities have targeted judges for obstructing ICE operations. For instance, Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan was convicted last year of facilitating an illegal immigrant’s evasion of ICE, which could lead to a significant prison sentence.
Neither Judge Brown nor the state Courts Administration commented on the matter, nor did the Department of Homeland Security.
