Maquan Moore, a 29-year-old Manhattan man sworn to protect one of America’s most sacred memorials, has admitted to running a black-market gun operation in the heart of New York City. Moore, who worked as a security guard at the 9/11 Memorial, pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court to one count of firearms trafficking, admitting he funneled more than 25 illegal guns into the city from out-of-state sources.
The betrayal of trust came to light following a two-year undercover operation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the New York City Police Department (NYPD). Starting in December 2017, agents made multiple controlled buys from Moore, seizing assault-style weapons, including a MAC-10 machine pistol, along with an array of handguns and rifles—all sold illegally in the shadow of Ground Zero.
On February 1, 2018, Moore handed off a fresh batch of weapons during a nighttime exchange with an undercover officer. Many of those guns had been transported from Florida by his alleged co-conspirator, Morris Wilson, who now faces a federal Criminal Complaint charging him with conspiracy to traffic firearms, interstate transportation of weapons, and unlawful receipt of firearms. The complaint underscores a coordinated pipeline feeding illegal arms into one of the nation’s most heavily policed cities.
ATF and NYPD agents moved in swiftly after the final buy, seizing 21 additional firearms linked to Moore and Wilson. The haul included high-capacity magazines and改装-style weapons capable of rapid fire, raising alarm about the intended use and potential for mass violence. Authorities believe the guns were destined for street-level dealers and criminal networks operating in high-crime neighborhoods.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman did not mince words: “Maquan Moore was in the business of peddling illegal firearms in busy downtown New York. When individuals attempt to bypass the critically important system of licensing for lawful ownership, the result is a less safe society for all of us. One shudders to think the harm these weapons could have caused in the wrong hands.”
Moore, of Manhattan, now faces up to five years in prison—a sentence prescribed by Congress and to be determined by the presiding judge. The case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Warren and Dominic Gentile of the Southern District of New York’s General Crimes Unit, stands as a stark reminder that danger can emerge from the most unexpected posts of trust.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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