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!)
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