New Mexico Judge Resigns After Housing Alleged Tren De Aragua Member
The resignation occurred a few days after law enforcement arrested illegal alien Cristhian Ortega-Lopez.
In New Mexico, Democrat Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano resigned after police arrested an alleged Tren De Aragua (TdA) gang member.
Cano resigned on March 3, but did not provide a reason in his letter.
The Albuquerque Journal noted the resignation happened not long after law enforcement arrested the man 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.
Due to an anonymous tip, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) started looking into Cristhian Ortega-Lopez in January.
The DOJ confirmed Oretga-Lopez is an illegal alien and might belong to TdA. The press release said Ortega-Lopez allegedly lived in a house with other illegal aliens and had many firearms.
“The investigators determined Ortega-Lopez had entered the U.S. illegally on December 15, 2023, and was released pending removal proceedings,” according to the DOJ. “Social media evidence showed Ortega-Lopez in possession of multiple firearms at a shooting range in Las Cruces.”
The DOJ added: “Ortega-Lopez is charged by criminal complaint with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm or ammunition.”
Wid Lyman of BorderHawkNews posted a fantastic X thread with photos from Ortega-Lopez’s Facebook and Instagram pages. (Credit to Lyman for my featured image!)
Las Cruces, New Mexico:
A Doña Ana County magistrate judge has abruptly stepped down following suspicious circumstances and a possible connection to an alleged Tren de Aragua affiliate.
As reported by @AlgernonWrites of the Albuquerque Journal on 4/16/25, Judge Joel Cano… pic.twitter.com/oVRUkLzUuo
— Wid Lyman (@Wid_Lyman) April 18, 2025
Following his release into the interior, per D'Ammassa: “From there, prosecutors say Ortega-Lopez eventually moved to El Paso, where he roomed with five other people. Court documents state that he met Nancy Cano (Judge Cano’s wife) doing construction and handyman jobs, and…
— Wid Lyman (@Wid_Lyman) April 18, 2025
Per the court document, Ortega-Lopez was introduced to Nany Cano’s daughter, April Cano, who possessed a large number of firearms. Ortega-Lopez advised that April Cano allowed him to hold and sometimes shoot various firearms. Ortega-Lopez admitted that he recognized four firearms… pic.twitter.com/tLE2CGtLpA
— Wid Lyman (@Wid_Lyman) April 18, 2025
Original post by @AliBradleyTV https://t.co/QWkNAtXTJQ
HSI Post https://t.co/Zz1grivndI
ICE Press Release https://t.co/iU1JK1rnkH
NM AG Release https://t.co/cUUPARiVIG
— Wid Lyman (@Wid_Lyman) April 18, 2025
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Comments
Democrats don’t usually resign at the first sign of criminal activity (see: Letitia James, Biden, et. al.) – they double down.
So I am really looking forward to the full story coming out here (which it won’t unless Republicans really work to bring it out)
It’s gotta be a doozy.
Most judges probably aren’t stupid enough to pose for a photo throwing gang sign with bangers.
Agreed – but it’s not a crime. It looks bad – it is bad – would rightly kill you in a re-election bid. But not a crime.
Democrats don’t resign over bad looks (79% of them would have to resign) or even bad acts.
No, there has got to be real criminal activity coming …
Hope he is nailed for it.
This democrat judge is more honest than the others. He openly flirts with gang bangers rather than hiding his allegiance.
No way just best friends without crimes is my guess. Had to be in on their criminal operations
I hope Republicans and federal law enforcement are looking through this judge’s docket for the entirety of his judicial tenure. If he’s opened his home to literal foreign terrorists, it’s hard to believe he hasn’t given them (or their domestic accomplices) favorable treatment in court.
See, I’m conflicted about this. We’re always saying that judges who give undue leniency to illegals should be forced to have them move in with him. Well, this one did! And the end result is, the judge is gone! We should be encouraging this, not discouraging it.
Everyone’s thinking it I’m just saying it. It was a gay relationship. IDK why he thought that was disqualifying for a democrat but here we are.
That was my first thought, too….
IDK what kind of freaky-deeky relationship it was. The judge is married and has a daughter in her early 20s. Videos have surfaced of he and his wife handling weapons presumably owned by the cartel/gang members. Firearms were also recovered from his daughter’s home. It’s unclear if there are charges pending against him, his wife and his daughter.
Is it just me or does this just scream that the judge had a harem?
Do you know who isn’t covering this story? The media in NM. Other than the Abq Journal, there’s been a blackout from the local TV stations and newspapers. I live here and saw the story on X.
Meanwhile, the Governor of NJ was on national TV a month ago boasting about the Illegal Alien house slave he keeps quartered in a room above his garage.
He still hasn’t been arrested.
The Judge is flashing a gang sign…wow!
The dirty open secret of the border (and elsewhere) is the money the Cartels invest in putting their own “clean” people into political offices of all levels and law enforcement departments. It’s much easier to put your own person in a job than to payoff people who might not stay paid off.
Where is Millhouse to insist that Judges have a perfect right to hang out with suspicious characters?
He’s having lunch with a judge.