Former New Mexico Magistrate Judge Joel Cano and his wife, Nancy Cano, were arrested on April 24, 2025, for allegedly harboring Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, an illegal immigrant and suspected member of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang, in their Las Cruces home.
The couple faces charges of evidence tampering, while Ortega-Lopez is charged with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms, a federal offense carrying up to 15 years in prison.
Ortega-Lopez, who illegally entered the U.S. near Eagle Pass, Texas, in December 2023, was released due to overcrowding at a Border Patrol facility. He later met Nancy Cano while performing home repairs and was offered accommodation in the couple’s guesthouse.
Investigators found evidence linking Ortega-Lopez to the Tren de Aragua gang, including gang-related clothing, tattoos, voicemails, and text messages. Social media posts showed him posing with firearms, some allegedly owned by the Canos’ daughter, April.
Amy Barela, Chairwoman of the Republican Party of New Mexico, spoke with Las Cruces Sun-News, stating, “The people of New Mexico are tired of a system where the powerful don’t play by their own rules…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.”
In February 2025, federal agents raided the Cano residence, arresting Ortega-Lopez and seizing four firearms from April Cano’s home. Joel Cano resigned from his judicial position in March, and the New Mexico Supreme Court has permanently barred him from holding any judicial office in the state. Republican leaders in New Mexico have called for accountability and transparency in the judiciary.
