A former magistrate judge in New Mexico and his wife have been arrested for allegedly harboring members of a violent gang. Joel Cano, who recently resigned from his position, and his wife, Nancy, were taken into custody at their home in Las Cruces on Thursday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. This followed the arrest of a Venezuelan man, Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, who is suspected of being linked to the Tren de Aragua gang.
The couple was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center on charges related to tampering with evidence. Joel Cano faces a charge of tampering, while Nancy Cano is charged with conspiracy to tamper. They are currently being held without bond.
Joel Cano had a long career in law enforcement, serving nearly 23 years with the Las Cruces Police Department before being elected as a magistrate judge in 2010. His resignation came just days after ICE raided his home and arrested Ortega-Lopez, a 23-year-old who had illegally entered the U.S. in December 2023. Ortega-Lopez faces firearms-related charges and is believed to have connections to the Tren de Aragua gang, which has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. government.
During the raid, ICE agents also discovered firearms linked to Ortega-Lopez, who had been seen in social media posts with weapons at a shooting range. Investigators found additional firearms at a neighboring property owned by Nancy Cano’s daughter.
The New Mexico Supreme Court has ruled that Joel Cano is permanently barred from holding any judicial office in the state. Ortega-Lopez remains in custody as he awaits a detention hearing, while it remains unclear if the Cano couple will face further charges related to harboring an illegal alien or supporting a terrorist organization.