Former New Mexico judge, wife arrested after investigation into alleged gang member
- Former New Mexico Judge Joel Cano and his wife, Nancy Cano, were arrested for allegedly harboring Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, a suspected member of the Tren de Aragua gang, at their residence in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
- Cano and his wife face charges of evidence tampering, including destroying Ortega-Lopez's cell phones to protect him from law enforcement.
- Court documents indicate that Ortega-Lopez, who entered the U.S. Illegally on December 15, 2023, was involved in criminal activity and had connections to firearms found in the couple's residence.
- The New Mexico Supreme Court permanently barred Cano from holding any judicial office after he resigned following these allegations.
123 Articles
123 Articles

Feds arrest former New Mexico judge and wife for alleged evidence tampering in immigration case
Jose Luis “Joel” Cano and Nancy Cano. (Photos courtesy of the Doña Ana County Detention Center)Federal authorities arrested a former New Mexico magistrate judge and his wife on April 24 on criminal charges of evidence tampering related to the prosecution of an alleged gang member from Venezuela. The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday announced it had charged former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Jose Luis “Joel” Cano with one count of eviden…
Former NM Judge and Wife Allegedly Hid Evidence in Case Involving Illegal Gang Member - Miamistandard News
A former New Mexico judge and his wife are accused of attempting to conceal incriminating pictures and recordings of an illegal immigrant suspected of belonging to Venezuela’s renowned Tren de Aragua gang, as well as harbouring other migrants, the Justice Department said Friday. Former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano, 68, and his wife, Nancy Cano, 67, were arrested Thursday after a federal raid on their Las Cruces home. The couple is …
Court documents reveal new details in the arrests of former New Mexico judge and his wife
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KRQE) – KRQE News 13 has learned more about the arrest of a former New Mexico judge and his wife, who are now in federal custody. They are accused of assisting a suspected gang member living in their home and hiding evidence. Story continues below Community: NM Dancewear closes its doors for good, leaving hole in dance community Food: Los Ranchos restaurant named best spot for brunch in the state by Yelp Crime: ABQ woman frus…
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