A longtime Democrat Magistrate Judge in New Mexico suddenly resigned after federal agents arrested a suspected illegal gang member at his home.
Joel Cano, who served as judge in Doña Ana County since 2011, turned in his resignation letter just days after federal law enforcement raided his residence and arrested 23-year-old Cristhian Ortega-Lopez.
Originally from Venezuela, Ortega-Lopez was living in the U.S. illegally and is allegedly a member of the violent Tren de Aragua gang.
Court filings suggest that Ortega-Lopez was specifically living in a “casita” behind Judge Cano’s residence. The two became acquainted after Christhian met Judge Cano’s wife, Nancy, while working as a handyman.
During the raid, federal agents also discovered that Ortega-Lopez was in possession of multiple firearms.
Here are the shocking details:
NEW: Democrat Judge from New Mexico Abruptly Resigns After Suspected Tren de Aragua Gang Member Is Arrested for Firearm Possession at His Residence
Judge Jose “Joel” Cano reportedly submitted a letter of resignation in March.
In February, HSI Venezuelan national El Paso arrested Cristhian Ortega-Lopez at a Las Cruces residence owned by Judge Cano following an anonymous tip.
Ortega-Lopez had been residing in New Mexico after reportedly being apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in December 2023 at Eagle Pass, Texas, following an illegal entry into the country by scaling a barbed wire fence. Despite the arrest, he was released just three days later due to overcrowding in detention facilities.
He has been charged via criminal complaint with unlawfully possessing a firearm or ammunition as an illegal alien. He will remain in custody until his trial, which has yet to be scheduled. If found guilty, he could face up to 15 years in prison.
An ICE press release noted:
In a separate investigation, HSI initiated an inquiry into Cristhian Ortega-Lopez in January 2025, following an anonymous tip. Ortega-Lopez, an illegal alien from Venezuela suspected of being affiliated with Tren de Aragua, was allegedly residing with other illegal aliens in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and had been in possession of firearms. The investigators determined Ortega-Lopez had entered the United States illegally on Dec. 15, 2023, and was released pending removal proceedings. Social media evidence showed Ortega-Lopez in possession of multiple firearms at a shooting range in Las Cruces.
Ortega-Lopez is charged by criminal complaint with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm or ammunition.
Videos and photos of Judge Joel Cano hanging out with Cristhian Ortega-Lopez are circulating on social media.
One disturbing video shows Ortega-Lopez passing around his gun to Judge Cano and his wife:
The Albuquerque Journal reported:
Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano has resigned from the bench where he has sat since 2011.
Although his resignation letter, dated March 3, did not state his reason for stepping down, it followed shortly after a man awaiting deportation proceedings, accused by federal law enforcement of being affiliated with a Venezuelan gang, was arrested at Cano’s home.
Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, 23, faces federal firearm charges after Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant on Feb. 28 at a Las Cruces residence owned by Cano and his wife, Nancy.
“Working with each of you has been a very rewarding experience for which I will remain eternally grateful,” Cano wrote in a letter addressed to 3rd Judicial District Chief Judge Conrad Perea and court staff. The letter declared his last day as March 21, which dockets show was also the last day he had hearings scheduled in court.
Jose “Joel” Cano, a former police officer and Democrat, was first elected as a magistrate judge in 2010 and ran unopposed in three subsequent elections, winning his fourth term in 2022.
The details of Ortega-Lopez’s arrest and prior relationship with the Cano family are addressed in federal court motions seeking Ortega-Lopez’s detention. In New Mexico federal district court, prosecutors argue that Ortega-Lopez is a flight risk and a danger to the community due to an alleged criminal history, including alleged ties to the Tren de Aragua gang in Venezuela.
Court filings state that agents recovered four firearms from a neighboring home owned by April Cano, who is identified in court filings as Nancy Cano’s daughter. A criminal complaint alleges Ortega-Lopez admitted to possessing and firing them, as seen in photos and videos posted on Facebook last December.
Ortega-Lopez was taken into custody along with other individuals described as roommates in court filings. On March 3, he appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Damian Martinez on charges of being an unlawful alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
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