A Durango man accused of shooting a police officer was transferred from federal prison to the San Juan County Detention Center to face charges.
“We transferred (Elias Buck) here to face the local charges,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Decker said.
Buck, 26, is charged with aggravated battery upon a peace officer causing great bodily harm, a third-degree felony in connection to the Jan. 7, 2022, shooting of officer Joseph Barreto of the Farmington Police Department.
Buck waived his preliminary hearing in Farmington Magistrate Court, and the case was bound over to the 11th Judicial District Court with an arraignment set at 8 a.m. March 24 in front of District Judge Stephen Wayne.
Buck is serving a 10-year sentence in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The sentence is running concurrent to a two-year sentence for charges of escape, assault and aggravated vehicle theft in La Plata County, Colorado.
The prior felony of attempted possession of methamphetamine for sale in Arizona in 2019 barred him from possessing a firearm.
The La Plata County Jail escape charge is directly tied to the alleged shooting of Barreto.
Buck was arrested by the Aztec Police Department on suspicion of motor vehicle theft Nov, 27, 2021, and extradited to Colorado. While at the La Plata County Jail, he climbed a perimeter fence and escaped Dec. 27, 2021.
Buck resurfaced in Farmington Jan. 7, 2022, with then-girlfriend Victoria Hernandez Rossi.
He allegedly was driving drunk at 10:17 p.m. “in the drive-thru at Starbucks,” located at 2900 E. Main St. Buck reportedly was driving a 2009 black Cadillac passenger car “traveling at a high rate of speed,” according to the affidavit for arrest warrant.
Police found the Cadillac unoccupied at 10:32 p.m. in the Carl’s Jr. parking lot, and three minutes later, Barreto located Buck and Hernandez Rossi walking in the area of 10th Street and North Fairview Avenue, the affidavit states.
The couple claimed they were “running from a dog,” when Barreto asked them to sit down, the affidavit states.
Buck asked if he was being detained and when Barreto said yes, Buck allegedly “reached into his waistband, backed up, asked why he was being detained and shot the officer,” according to the affidavit.
Timeline
Nov. 27, 2021: Elias Buck is arrested by Aztec Police after a motor vehicle theft.
Dec. 27, 2021: Buck escapes from La Plata County Jail by climbing a perimeter fence.
Jan. 7, 2022: Buck allegedly shoots Farmington police officer Joseph Barreto in the right arm after being confronted about an allegation of drunken driving.
Jan. 14, 2022: Buck is captured by law enforcement at a Quiktrip Convenience Store in Phoenix.
March 6, 2023: Buck is sentenced to two years in prison for escape, assault and aggravated vehicle theft.
March 24, 2024: Buck faces arraignment at 8 a.m. in 11th Judicial District Court for allegedly shooting Farmington police officer Joseph Barreto.
Buck and Hernandez Rossi fled Farmington after the shooting, and were apprehended at a convenience store in Maricopa County, Arizona.
The San Juan County Regional Shoot Team investigated Barreto shooting, on Jan. 8, 2022, and reportedly found a 9 mm Beretta handgun, a wig and a hoodie worn by Buck near a dumpster behind a business at 2324 E. Main St., according to an affidavit.
Farmington Police took custody of the Cadillac and searched the vehicle, reportedly finding a 30-round Glock magazine, narcotics, wigs, ammunition and multiple cellphones, according to the search warrant inventory sheet.
In February 2022, Farmington Police traveled to Maricopa County Jail, where they took into custody gray Nike shoes with white soles and blue boxer shorts, which according to the search warrant matched what Buck was wearing during the shooting.
Buck will remain in the San Juan County Detention Center until the police officer shooting case is completed, according to Decker.
