NM choose, spouse who allegedly harbored unlawful gang member launched on bond

[ad_1] A former New Mexico judge and his wife, who're accused of harboring a Venezuelan gang member of their house, have been launched from jail on bond.

Former Doña Ana County Justice of the Peace Decide Joel Cano and his spouse, Nancy Cano, had been arrested final month on charges of tampering with evidence after federal brokers raided their Las Cruces house.

Court docket data present they had been launched on $10,000 bond every on Tuesday beneath sure situations.

In January 2025, Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI) officers acquired a tip that Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, an alleged member of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, a chosen international terrorist group, "was residing with different unlawful aliens in america unlawfully at an tackle positioned in Las Cruces, New Mexico…and was in possession of firearms," a federal criticism states.

EX-NEW MEXICO JUDGE, WIFE TRIED TO HIDE EVIDENCE OF ILLEGAL ALIEN GANGBANGER, DOJ PROSECUTORS SAY

Former Doña Ana County Justice of the Peace Decide Joel Cano, 68, and his spouse, Nancy Cano, 67, are accused of harboring Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, an unlawful immigrant and alleged member of Venezuela’s infamous Tren de Aragua gang. (U.S. District Court docket for the District of New Mexico /U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement )

"Nancy and Jose Cano are the house owners of the Premises," the criticism stated.

Court docket paperwork additional revealed that Ortega, who entered the United States from Mexico illegally in 2023 by climbing over a barbed wire fence, was initially employed by Nancy Cano for house repairs and later supplied lodging within the couple's guesthouse.

EX-NEW MEXICO JUDGE, WIFE ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY HARBORING ILLEGAL TREN DE ARAGUA MEMBER

An HSI agent escorts former Doña Ana County Justice of the Peace Decide Joel Cano out of his house on Thursday, April 24, 2025. (Courtesy of KFOX14)

Ortega is charged with being an unlawful immigrant in possession of a firearm and/or ammunition.

Federal authorities searched the Canos' house on April 24 to find Ortega-Lopez's lacking cellphone. Throughout questioning, Joel Cano apparently admitted to authorities that he destroyed Ortega's cellphone "with a hammer and discarded the remaining items within the metropolis trash dumpster" earlier this yr.

FBI ARRESTS WISCONSIN JUDGE, ALLEGING SHE OBSTRUCTED ARREST OF ILLEGAL ALIEN

Former Doña Ana County Justice of the Peace Decide Joel Cano and his spouse, Nancy Cano, had been arrested final month on costs of tampering with proof after federal brokers raided their Las Cruces, New Mexico, house. (Doña Ana County Detention Middle)

"Particularly, Jose Cano acknowledged that he destroyed the cellphone and additional admitted that he believed the cellphone contained pictures or movies that may replicate negatively on Ortega," a federal criticism states. "By means of additional questioning, brokers ascertained that Jose Cano destroyed the cellphone, believing that it contained pictures of Ortega holding firearms that Ortega had uploaded onto social media platforms which might be further incriminating proof in opposition to him."

Federal officials seized other cellphones from Oretga that apparently contained messages displaying his "Tren de Aragua affiliation and pictures of Ortega in possession of firearms and ammunition." In social media movies, Ortega can allegedly be seen taking pictures "an AR-15 fashion rifle with a suppressor" at steel targets.

NEW MEXICO JUDGE RESIGNS AFTER ALLEGED TDA MEMBER ARRESTED AT HIS HOME

Doña Ana County Justice of the Peace Decide Joel Cano. (U.S. District Court docket for the District of New Mexico)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Joel Cano resigned from his judicial place in March, and final month, the New Mexico Supreme Court docket issued a ruling completely barring him from holding any judicial workplace within the state.

Joel and Nancy Cano withstand 15 years in jail. Fox Information Digital reached out to their lawyer for remark.

"The rule of regulation could be very easy: It does not matter what line of labor you are in. For those who break the regulation, we'll observe the information, and we'll prosecute you," Legal professional Common Pam Bondi stated in a video message final week.

Fox Information Digital's Louis Casiano and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.

Audrey Conklin is a digital reporter for Fox Information Digital and FOX Enterprise. E mail tricks to audrey.conklin@fox.com or on Twitter at @audpants.