2-21-2024 8:16am

New Charges Added to Dominic Cruz De La O in Officer Ferguson Death

Chris Edwards Editor

De La O faces additional federal enhancement charges for guns by a felon (AlamogordoTownNews.com)

The Alamogordo community reeled in shock when on Saturday, July 15, 2023, 26-year-old Dominic De La O from Hatch, New Mexico, allegedly shot Alamogordo Police Department Officer Anthony Ferguson in what police said was an attempt to flee from police officers.

De La O fired a shotgun wounding Ferguson in the face, according to a criminal complaint against him, an injury that would result in Ferguson's death July 16 at 10:51 p.m. at University Medical Center El Paso.

The encounter with law enforcement was not the first time De La O had fled from police officers or been suspected of being in possession of a firearm.

Dominic De La O, charged with first-degree murder in the death of Alamogordo Police officer Anthony Ferguson, pleaded not guilty to that charge and others during a hearing July 31.

De La O was also charged with tampering with evidence, aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He also faces charges of resisting, evading, or obstructing an officer, criminal trespass, improper equipment and driving a vehicle at night without lighted lamps. Judge John P. Sugg of New Mexico's Twelfth Judicial District Court ruled De La O be held in jail on no bail or bond.

Dominic De La O has been in and out of court in Otero County facing multiple charges filed by the 12th Judicial District and under New Mexico state law. Now the Federal government has stepped in adding additional federal charges.

Dominic Cruz De La O, 27, of Alamogordo, was charged with possession of an unregistered weapon made from a shotgun as a federal enhancement.

De La O's jury trial is scheduled to start Nov. 4,2024 in Otero County, New Mexico, according to court records.

Jonah Apodaca, 32, is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Mexico, on July 15, 2023, De La O fatally shot Ferguson with a 12-gauge shotgun during a traffic stop. The barrel length of the shotgun was 16 inches, while the overall length was 25 1/2 inches. The shotgun stock had been removed and replaced with a pistol grip.

On July 26, Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents received information that a second man who was later identified as Apodaca is who provided De La O with the sawed-off shotgun.

If convicted, Apodaca could get a 15-year prison sentence, while De La O could get up to 10 years.

ATF investigated the case with help from the Alamogordo Police Department, New Mexico State Police and the Otero County Sheriff's Office in filing these additional charges.