ALAMOGORDO – Jonah Apodaca, 31, of Alamogordo, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to the unregistered weapon used to shoot and kill Alamogordo Police Officer Anthony Ferguson.
According to publicly available court documents, Apodaca provided a “sawed-off” shotgun to Dominic Cruz De La O, which he later used to take the officer’s life. DNA evidence linked Apodaca to the crime scene, with his DNA found on the shotgun shell recovered from the chamber and ammunition from the magazine tube.
The Court has ordered that Apodaca remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At the time of sentencing, Apodaca faces up to 15 years in prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release.
De La O was charged with possession of a firearm not registered with the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record and possession of a firearm not identified by a serial number. He remains in custody pending trial.
The investigation into this tragic event was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Alamogordo Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and the Otero County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Ry Ellison are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the ATF, announced today’s plea agreement.
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Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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