Former New Mexico Judge and Wife Released on Bond Amid Allegations of Harboring Venezuelan Gang Member

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A former New Mexico judge and his wife, accused of harboring a member of a violent Venezuelan gang, have been released on bond. Joel Cano, a former Doña Ana County magistrate judge, and his wife, Nancy Cano, were arrested last month on charges of evidence tampering following a federal raid on their Las Cruces home. Court records reveal that both were released on $10,000 bond each on Tuesday, subject to specific conditions.

The case originated in January 2024 when Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received a tip that Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, a suspected member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua—a designated foreign terrorist organization—was residing illegally with other undocumented individuals in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Ortega-Lopez was allegedly in possession of firearms, according to a federal complaint. **Ortega-Lopez, who illegally entered the U.S. from Mexico in 2023 by climbing a barbed wire fence, was reportedly hired by Nancy Cano for home repairs and later offered accommodation in the couple’s guest house.**

During a search of the Cano residence on April 24, federal agents sought to locate Ortega-Lopez’s missing phone. During questioning, Joel Cano allegedly admitted to destroying Ortega-Lopez’s cellphone with a hammer and discarding the remains in a local dumpster. **He confessed that he believed the phone contained photos or videos depicting Ortega-Lopez with weapons, which he feared would be incriminating evidence against him.** Investigators recovered another phone allegedly linked to Ortega-Lopez, which reportedly contained messages confirming his ties to Tren de Aragua and images of him with firearms and ammunition. Social media videos allegedly show Ortega-Lopez firing an AR-15-style rifle with a suppressor at metal targets.

In March, Joel Cano resigned from his judicial position. The New Mexico Supreme Court later barred him from holding any judicial office in the state. **The Canos face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.** Fox News Digital reached out to their attorneys for comment but did not receive a response.

In a video statement last week, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized, “The rule of law is very simple. It doesn’t matter what line of work you’re in. If you break the law, we will follow the facts, and we will prosecute you.”

Sources: Fox News Digital, federal court records.
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Reporting by Louis Casiano and Jasmine Baehr of Fox News Digital.