Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York | Department of Justice
David Maldonado pled guilty on Apr. 2 to possessing a machine gun in connection with a daytime shooting that occurred on November 14, 2025, in the Bronx, New York. The announcement was made by United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about illegal firearms and public safety in New York City neighborhoods. Authorities say such incidents contribute to community fear and underscore the importance of efforts to reduce gun violence.
According to the indictment and statements made during court proceedings, Maldonado fired twelve rounds from a machine gun at approximately 4:00 p.m. near East 170th Street and Third Avenue. Two shots struck a nearby vehicle during the incident. Detectives from the New York City Police Department were nearby at the time of the shooting and quickly apprehended Maldonado, who was found with an un-serialized Polymer 80 model PF940C firearm—commonly referred to as a "ghost gun." The weapon had been modified with an illegal conversion device that enabled it to fire automatically.
Maldonado has prior felony convictions and now faces up to ten years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of possession of a machine gun.
Jay Clayton said, “The illegal possession of a machine gun is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The families of New York City deserve to live free of fear from the type of gun violence these weapons can unleash. The women and men of this Office will never tire in their efforts to root out and hold accountable those who would bring this type of violence to our communities.”
Clayton praised both the NYPD and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for their investigative work on this case.
