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In a troubling case in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, a former magistrate judge and his spouse are facing accusations related to the manipulation of evidence connected to an undocumented migrant linked to the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua. Two criminal complaints filed on Friday outline the serious allegations against them.
The ex-judge, Jose Luis Cano, also identified as Joel Cano, has been hit with a federal charge for tampering with evidence. His wife, Nancy Cano, faces charges of conspiracy to tamper with evidence, as revealed by court documents. Efforts to obtain comments from their legal representative have so far been unsuccessful.
Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, a Venezuelan national, was apprehended earlier this year on accusations of possessing a firearm unlawfully, according to official documents.
The authorities from Homeland Security Investigations initiated their inquiry into Ortega-Lopez in January after receiving an anonymous tip. This alert suggested that he was residing with other undocumented individuals at a property owned by the Canos in Las Cruces and was armed.
US Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated during an interview with Fox News that authorities had received intelligence about Ortega-Lopez’s living situation with the former judge. “This is the last person we want in our country, nor will we ever tolerate a judge or anyone else harboring them,” she asserted.
Evidence presented against Ortega-Lopez includes images and videos he shared on Facebook, where he is seen at what appears to be a shooting range, handling handguns or assault-style rifles.
Investigators noted the presence of distinct tattoos, specific clothing, and recognizable hand gestures associated with Tren de Aragua in Ortega-Lopez’s online posts, identifying these elements as “strong evidence” of his potential affiliation with the gang, as highlighted in the criminal complaint.
Tren de Aragua, originally founded in a Venezuelan prison, has extended its operations into the United States. It is infamously connected to various criminal activities, including human trafficking, drug smuggling, extortion, and other violent crimes targeting migrants, according to the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
The former magistrate has strongly refuted the allegations against him, insisting he was unaware of Ortega-Lopez’s supposed ties to the criminal organization or the other individuals involved with him. He defended his choice to allow the men to stay at his property, a position he articulated in a 23-page letter submitted to the New Mexico Supreme Court, as reported by CNN affiliate KOAT.
“Let me be as crystal clear as possible,” wrote Jose Luis Cano, as per KOAT. “The very first time I ever heard that (the men) could possibly have any association with Tren de Aragua was when I was informed of that by (the) agents on the day of the raid.”
On February 28, two search warrants were executed, one at the Cano residence, where Ortega-Lopez was arrested. Investigators recovered three cell phones belonging to Ortega-Lopez from the Canos’ home and located four firearms at another searched property.
A phone call made by Ortega-Lopez during his arrest led investigators to suspect he might have another cell phone. Consequently, on April 22, they sought access to any recorded jail communications—calls, messages, or videos—related to him.
During their investigation, authorities discovered two video messages exchanged between Nancy Cano and Ortega-Lopez, which included discussions about potentially deleting Ortega-Lopez’s Facebook account, as mentioned in the complaint against her.
This finding prompted investigators to execute a search warrant at the Cano property Thursday, looking for another phone owned by Ortega-Lopez, in addition to Nancy Cano’s phone.
During the search, Jose Luis Cano cooperated with investigators, admitting to destroying Ortega-Lopez’s phone by crushing it with a hammer and disposing of the remnants in a dumpster about five weeks prior. He claimed the device held materials that might be detrimental to Ortega-Lopez, with the complaint indicating he believed it contained images of the migrant with firearms.
The case marks a notable legal saga, as both Jose Luis and Nancy Cano’s arrests follow the ex-judge’s resignation in March. According to court records, the New Mexico Supreme Court subsequently barred Joel Cano from holding or pursuing any judicial office in the state in the future.
This report includes contributions from multiple analysts.
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