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Chaos in Albany, NY: Illegal Immigrant Tries to Kill Federal Prosecutor

ALBANY, NY — June 19, 2025

Federal prosecutor John A. Sarcone III was the target of a knife attack in downtown Albany on Tuesday, June 17, as he was leaving his office. The attacker, identified as Saul Morales-Garcia, is an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who had previously been deported but re-entered the U.S. in 2021.

According to authorities, Morales-Garcia approached Sarcone aggressively while yelling in a foreign language and holding a knife. Sarcone ran to the nearby Hilton Hotel for safety. Morales-Garcia briefly walked away but then returned and charged Sarcone again, making a throat-slashing gesture with the knife while continuing to shout. Sarcone again fled into the hotel lobby.

Albany County Sheriff's deputies quickly arrived and arrested Morales-Garcia. The weapon was recovered at the scene. Sarcone was not physically harmed, but described the incident as life-threatening.

“I feared for my life, but I couldn’t let this individual harm and potentially kill others,” Sarcone said. “As the chief federal law enforcement officer in this district, I felt it was my duty to act.”

Sheriff Craig Apple praised Sarcone’s bravery, saying, “U.S. Attorney Sarcone’s selfless actions likely saved lives.”

Morales-Garcia now faces several serious charges:

  • Attempted second-degree murder

  • Criminal possession of a weapon (3rd degree)

  • Menacing (2nd degree)

He has been denied bail and is being held in custody. A protective order has been issued for Sarcone. The FBI and Homeland Security are also investigating, and Morales-Garcia may face federal charges for re-entering the country illegally. That case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York due to Sarcone’s recusal.

Sarcone was appointed as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York in March. Since then, he has visited 27 counties, working closely with local and state law enforcement to crack down on gangs, drug trafficking, human smuggling, and violent crime.

“Our communities should be safe for everyone,” Sarcone emphasized. “What happened this week only reinforces the need for strong partnerships between federal and local law enforcement.”

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