New Mexico judge resigns after alleged TdA member arrested at his home

A New Mexico justice resigned from the seat aft an alleged Tren de Aragua pack subordinate was arrested astatine his home.

Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano's resignation missive is dated March 3, but a spokesperson for the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) told Fox News Digital it was not received by the Supreme Court and 3rd Judicial District Court until March 31.  

Back successful January, Homeland Security Investigations Las Cruces began looking into Venezuelan autochthonal Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, "an amerciable alien from Venezuela and a suspected subordinate of a transgression gang" who was "residing with different amerciable aliens" and "in possession of firearms," according to tribunal documents obtained by Fox News Digital.

On Feb. 28, 2 hunt warrants were executed astatine a location investigators identified arsenic owned by Cano's wife, Nancy Cano. Ortega-Lopez and his roommates were taken into custody, and agents "seized 4 firearms from April Cano's residence." April Cano is the girl of Nancy and Joel, tribunal documents state. 

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Alleged Tren de Aragua pack subordinate Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, pictured successful a societal media relationship recovered by investigators. (U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico)

Ortega-Lopez was recovered by investigators posing with weapons successful societal media posts, immoderate of which helium said were owned by April Cano, who "allowed him to clasp and sometimes sprout assorted firearms."

Ortega-Lopez admitted to illegally entering the U.S. from Mexico successful December 2023, according to tribunal documents. He allegedly told investigators helium was surviving successful an El Paso flat with 5 others erstwhile helium met Nancy Cano "to instal a solid doorway for her." 

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A look astatine the Doña Ana County Magistrate Court successful Las Cruces, New Mexico. (Google Maps)

"He continued to bash a fewer jobs for Nancy Cano, and aft being evicted from the flat successful April, 2024, Nancy Cano offered her ‘casita’ successful the backmost of the residence she shared with her hubby Joel Cano," tribunal documents state. 

The fishy made his archetypal quality successful a Las Cruces tribunal connected March 3. During a detention proceeding connected March 14, U.S. Magistrate Judge Damian L. Martinez "asked Assistant United States Attorney ('AUSA') Maria Armijo if she knew Judge Cano."

When Armijo said she did not, Judge Martinez said helium had met him extracurricular the courtroom "several times," adding, "I don’t deliberation helium would conscionable fto anybody unrecorded successful his property."

Martinez ruled Ortega-Lopez "was not a formation hazard oregon information to the community" and ordered him to beryllium released. On April 8, a question was filed by an adjunct U.S. lawyer to reconsider Ortega-Lopez's pretrial merchandise order. 

Records from Doña Ana County Assessor's Office accidental the location Ortega-Lopez was arrested astatine is owned by some Nancy and Jose Cano, who goes by Joel. 

Cano's resignation missive stated his past time connected the occupation was March 21.

"All the champion to everyone of you," Joel Cano wrote. "I privation each of you a blessed status erstwhile you are acceptable yourself."

Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano resigned successful March, according to his resignation missive obtained by Fox News Digital. (iStock)

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The AOC spokesperson told Fox News Digital via email that Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham "will name idiosyncratic to capable the vacancy done the remainder of the judge's unexpired four-year word that runs until the extremity of 2026."

"The Supreme Court has scheduled an oral statement connected April 24, which is nationalist and volition beryllium unrecorded streamed, concerning Judge Cano," spokesperson Barry Massey said.