Joel Cano, former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge, and his wife, Nancy Cano, were arrested after a federal raid on their Las Cruces home on Thursday.
The two are facing charges of evidence tampering in connection with allegations that they harbored Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, an alleged illegal alien and suspected member of Venezuela’s notorious Tren de Aragua gang.
“Under President Trump, we have arrested over 150,000 aliens—including more than 600 members of the vicious Tren de Aragua gang,” said Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS). “If you are here illegally and violate the law, we will track you down, arrest you, and lock you up. “That is a promise.”
The arrest follows an incident in February when Ortega-Lopez was apprehended at the Cano residence. According to court documents, he was initially hired by Nancy Cano for home repairs before being offered accommodation in the couple’s guesthouse.
Investigators discovered evidence linking Ortega-Lopez to the Tren de Aragua gang, such as gang-themed clothing, tattoos, voicemails, and text messages.
According to court documents, he illegally entered the United States on December 15, 2023, crossing the border near Eagle Pass, Texas, without inspection or authorization.
He was released on December 18, 2023, while awaiting removal proceedings due to overcrowding at the Border Patrol facility. He was given a Notice to Appear, which began formal removal proceedings under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Four firearms were seized from the home of April Cano, the couple’s daughter, following a further investigation. Ortega-Lopez was discovered in social media posts posing with weapons, some of which he claimed were owned by April.
He is facing federal charges for violating 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5) by possessing a firearm as an illegal alien. If convicted, he could serve up to 15 years in prison.
Former ICE Field Office Director John Fabbricatore told WPMI that Doña Ana County has a long history of illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and human smuggling. “To see how a judge could allow this to happen. It’s extremely concerning. It is concerning. “What else has the judge been doing?”
Judge Cano resigned from his judicial position in March, and on Tuesday, the New Mexico Supreme Court issued an order permanently barring him from holding any judicial office in the state.
“The people of New Mexico are tired of a system where the powerful don’t play by their own rules,” Amy Barela, Chairwoman of the Republican Party of New Mexico, told the Las Cruces Sun-News. “We demand real accountability for Judge Cano’s involvement with a gang-affiliated criminal, as well as complete transparency about how our judiciary is held to the same laws as the rest of us. “Enough is enough.”
Homeland Security Investigations continues to lead the investigation, according to KFOX.
