Lawsuit: Deming Police Officer Assaulted 16-Year-Old Girl for Months While on the Job

Marisa Ong, Senior Counsel at Singleton Schreiber LLP, was featured by the Santa Fe New Mexican in an article titled “Lawsuit Filed Over Alleged Sexual Abuse by Former Bayard Police Officer,” published on February 20, 2026.

Ong represents the plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, in a civil lawsuit filed in Luna County’s 6th Judicial District Court against former officer Jesus Lopez Jr., the City of Deming, and the New Mexico Department of Public Safety. The complaint alleges that Lopez abused his position of authority and that prior misconduct during earlier law enforcement employment did not prevent subsequent hiring or continued certification.

The lawsuit includes claims under the New Mexico Tort Claims Act and Civil Rights Act and seeks compensatory damages. The case centers on oversight responsibilities, officer certification processes, and the legal obligations of municipal and state entities when prior disciplinary history is documented.

“This case is about institutional failure,” attorney Marisa Ong wrote in a statement. “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.”