8 hours ago
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A former New Mexico judge and his wife have been arrested for allegedly sheltering a Venezuelan gang member. Joel Cano and his wife, Nancy Cano, were taken into custody following a federal raid on their residence in Las Cruces. Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, believed to be a member of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang, was caught at their home in February, The NY Post reported.
The couple is facing serious charges, including evidence tampering and hiding Ortega-Lopez. According to the court documents, Ms Cano initially hired him to carry out some repair work at their house, and later, the couple allowed him to stay in their guesthouse.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said, "Under President Trump, we have arrested over 150,000 aliens-including more than 600 members of the vicious Tren de Aragua gang, adding, "If you are here illegally and break the law, we will hunt you down, arrest you and lock you up. That's a promise."
Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, said that at first, they came to arrest Ms Cano, but after checking the evidence, they decided to arrest Mr Cano as well.
He said, "Initially, we came back here to arrest his wife, and as we started conducting our interviews and started looking at the evidence, we subsequently arrested Mr Cano as well."
The District Attorney's Office said that Mr Cano's daughter owned several firearms and she allowed Ortega-Lopez to hold, shoot and pose with them. The pictures were later shared on social media platforms. After seeing the pictures the federal agents seized those firearms and arrested the alleged criminal.
Evidence such as gang-related clothes, tattoos, voicemails, and text messages connecting Ortega-Lopez to the Tren de Aragua gang were also found by authorities.
On December 15, 2023, he entered the US illegally by crossing the border near Eagle Pass, Texas, without permission or inspection. He was temporarily released from the Border Patrol facility on December 18, 2023, as it became overcrowded, according to court documents.
Mr Stevens mentioned that apart from Ortega-Lopez, two more suspected members of the gang were staying at their home.
He said, "All three of them, we believe, are alleged members of that (Tren de Aragua). Obviously, we continue just to focus on the totality of the investigation instead of just zeroing in on them."
Amy Barela, chairwoman of the Republican Party of New Mexico, said, "We demand real accountability for Judge Cano's connection to a gang-affiliated criminal and full transparency on how our judiciary is being held to the same laws as the rest of us. Enough is enough."
She said, "The people of New Mexico are tired of a system where the powerful don't play by their own rules."
The couple is currently in the Dona Ana County Detention Center without any bail.
