Lawsuit Alleges Teen Girl Abused by Deming Police Officer
Marisa Ong, attorney at Singleton Schreiber LLP, was featured by KTSM in an article titled “Lawsuit Alleges Teen Girl Abused by Deming Police Officer,” published on February 16, 2026.
Ong serves as co-counsel for the plaintiff in a civil rights lawsuit filed against the City of Deming, the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, and former Deming Police Officer Jesus Lopez Jr. The lawsuit alleges that Lopez repeatedly sexually abused, coerced, and assaulted a 16-year-old girl while serving as a Deming police officer.
The lawsuit asserts claims of institutional failure, alleging that both the City of Deming and DPS allowed Lopez to remain armed, certified, and employed despite prior documented incidents of misconduct. The case raises issues regarding law enforcement oversight, certification standards, and agency accountability when prior warning signs of officer misconduct are allegedly known but not acted upon.
“This case is about institutional failure,” Ong said. “The City of Deming and the New Mexico Department of Public Safety allowed a known risk to remain armed, certified, and empowered. Their inaction enabled horrific abuse and placed an entire community in danger.”
