New Mexico Judge Resigns After Arrest of Suspected Gang Member at His Home
Judge Joel Cano resigned after an alleged Tren de Aragua member was arrested at his residence, raising concerns about his involvement with the suspect.
Overview
Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano resigned following the arrest of Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, a suspected Tren de Aragua gang member, at his home. Authorities executed search warrants that revealed Ortega-Lopez, an illegal Venezuelan migrant, had multiple firearms and was involved in criminal activity. Cano's association with Ortega-Lopez and his wife, Nancy Cano, has drawn scrutiny, as social media evidence emerged showing the two together with weapons. Following the arrest, Cano announced his resignation effective March 21, with the state expected to appoint a replacement.
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Cristhian Ortega-Lopez is a 23-year-old illegal immigrant from Venezuela suspected of being a member of the Tren de Aragua gang. He was arrested at Judge Joel Cano's residence and is facing federal firearm charges.
Cristhian Ortega-Lopez met Judge Joel Cano's wife, Nancy Cano, while doing construction work, and accepted her offer to stay at a guest house behind the family residence. Ortega-Lopez was arrested at the Cano family residence.
Judge Joel Cano submitted his resignation letter dated March 3, 2025, with the resignation effective March 21. He has not made any public comments regarding the situation.
Social media evidence surfaced showing Cristhian Ortega-Lopez with firearms alongside Judge Cano's wife, Nancy Cano, and his stepdaughter April Cano, who reportedly possessed a cache of firearms and allowed Ortega-Lopez to pose with them.
The arrest and investigation were conducted by Homeland Security Investigations under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who executed the search warrant at Cano's residence.
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