ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Derrick Cook, a 28year-old member of the Navajo Nation from Crownpoint, was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Wednesday after pleading guilty to charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during a violent crime. The announcement was made by Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office.
Cook's sentence stems from a violent altercation that occurred on August 27, 2022, outside the Crownpoint Trading convenience store. Court documents reveal that Cook engaged in a dispute with John Doe 1 and his girlfriend at the store. When an employee intervened and instructed Cook to leave, he responded by firing multiple shots at the building from the rear of a car.
Later that evening, John Doe 1 and John Doe 2 confronted Cook at his residence, resulting in a physical altercation. Cook escalated the situation by using his firearm, shooting both men. John Doe 1 sustained a gunshot wound to the left side of his chest and abdomen, causing a collapsed lung. Medical intervention included intubation to facilitate breathing, a chest tube to address the collapsed lung, a blood transfusion, and surgical intervention to repair the injuries. John Doe 2 sustained a gunshot wound to his right elbow, leading to a radial fracture.
Following his prison term, Cook will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The investigation into this case was led by the Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, with valuable assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall handled the prosecution.