Albuquerque Man Accused of Ripping out Underage Girlfriend’s Eye

On Friday, police arrested suspected drug dealer David Cordova, 38, after a failed sting operation. A criminal complaint had been issued before on Cordova after he allegedly assaulted his 15-year-old girlfriend.

According to police, on February 16th the victim went over to Cordova's house and found him in a rage after someone threaten to tell the police about their relationship. The victim then left the house, but was followed by Cardova, who then forced her into the truck at gunpoint. The victim then recalls Cordova slamming her head against the dashboard multiple times. She then kicked him, but that's when he pulled out a pair of pliers and drove them into her eye.

The victim says she, "felt her eye go into the back of her head."

Cardova had met the victim through Catherine Bigley, a mother of one of the victim's friends. He called Bigley on the night of the incident to take the victim to the hospital, after he took her back to the house and laid her in the tub with a bunch of towels.

Police were called but couldn't interview the victim until a week later, due to her being heavily medicated. She is now blind in that eye, according to police.

In an attempt to arrest Cordova, police set up a sting using Bigley to buy heroin and methamphetamine from him. Unfortunately, Cordova thought Bigley's daughter had gone to police and threatened her before the sting, so when Bigley showed up for the sale, Cordova pointed a gun at her. Bigley managed to run to an undercover car, where Cordova began to chase them.

Police were able to stop Cordova's car and arrest him. He has been charged with firearm and failure to comply charges, along with with bodily harm, sexual penetration of a minor, and other charges for the alleged assault of his 15-year-old girlfriend last month.

Police have not said why they didn't arrest Cordova and instead conduct the sting operation.