A Democratic judge in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, has stepped down following the arrest of a man accused of belonging to a violent Venezuelan gang—and who was living at the judge’s home.
Judge Joel Cano resigned on March 3, just days after federal agents arrested 23-year-old Cristhian Ortega-Lopez at a Las Cruces property owned by Cano and his wife, Nancy. Cano didn’t offer a reason for leaving the bench, but his departure came shortly after Ortega-Lopez was taken into custody on federal firearm charges.
Venezuelan Illegal With Alleged Tren de Aragua Ties Arrested for Possession of Firearm While Reportedly Living at Home of New Mexico Judge
Judge Jose "Joel" Cano abruptly resigned days after ICE HSI raid at his house in Las Cruces
Full story coming… pic.twitter.com/UvkrAC2PDT
— Border Hawk (@BorderHawkNews) April 18, 2025
Federal officials say Ortega-Lopez is linked to Tren de Aragua, a brutal transnational gang originating in Venezuela. He’s accused of being an undocumented immigrant in possession of firearms and ammunition, a charge that carries up to 15 years in prison.
Agents with Homeland Security Investigations found four guns on a nearby property owned by April Cano, who is listed in court records as Nancy Cano’s daughter. Prosecutors say Ortega-Lopez admitted to firing the weapons—some of which showed up in social media posts late last year.
Ortega-Lopez reportedly entered the country near Eagle Pass, Texas, and was released by Border Patrol due to overcrowding. He later moved to El Paso, where he met Nancy Cano through construction work. She eventually invited him to stay in the guesthouse behind her family’s home.
By April 2024, he was listing that address as his residence on immigration paperwork. Court documents also allege he was introduced to April Cano, who let him use several firearms.
One piece of evidence includes a photo of Ortega-Lopez standing next to Judge Cano—an image that’s fueling questions about how close the judge and the suspect actually were.
Ortega-Lopez and several roommates were arrested on February 28. At a court hearing days later, U.S. Magistrate Judge Damian Martinez initially supported pretrial release, reportedly stating, “I don’t think [Judge Cano] would just let anybody live on his property.”
That sparked an appeal from federal prosecutors, who argued Ortega-Lopez is both a flight risk and a danger to the public. They also objected to Nancy Cano being proposed as a possible custodian, since he was arrested at her house.
Ortega-Lopez is being held without bond at the Doña Ana County Detention Center.
Joel Cano, a former police officer and Democrat, was first elected to the bench in 2010 and had just begun his fourth term in 2022. He had never faced a challenger during his time on the bench. He and his wife have not commented publicly on the case.
The resignation of a sitting judge under these circumstances is rare—and the arrest has triggered serious questions about judgment, accountability, and whether a public official knowingly sheltered someone with alleged gang ties. The investigation is ongoing.
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