Ex-New Mexico judge, wife who allegedly harbored illegal Tren de Aragua member released on bond
A former New Mexico judge and his wife who are accused of harboring a Venezuelan gang member in their home have been circulated from jail on bond Former Do a Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano and his wife Nancy Cano were arrested last month on charges of tampering with evidence after federal agents raided their Las Cruces home Court records show they were disclosed on bond each on Tuesday under certain conditions In January Homeland Safety Investigations HSI bureaucrats received a tip that Cristhian Ortega-Lopez an alleged member of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua a designated foreign terrorist organization was residing with other illegal aliens in the United States unlawfully at an address located in Las Cruces New Mexico and was in possession of firearms a federal complaint states EX-NEW MEXICO JUDGE WIFE TRIED TO HIDE EVIDENCE OF ILLEGAL ALIEN GANGBANGER DOJ PROSECUTORS SAY Nancy and Jose Cano are the owners of the Premises the complaint revealed Court documents further revealed that Ortega who entered the United States from Mexico illegally in by climbing over a barbed wire fence was initially hired by Nancy Cano for home repairs and later offered accommodation in the couple's guesthouse EX-NEW MEXICO JUDGE WIFE ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY HARBORING ILLEGAL TREN DE ARAGUA MEMBEROrtega is charged with being an illegal immigrant in possession of a firearm and or ammunition Federal bureaucrats searched the Canos' home on April to locate Ortega-Lopez's missing phone During questioning Joel Cano apparently admitted to functionaries that he destroyed Ortega's cellphone with a hammer and discarded the remaining pieces in the city trash dumpster earlier this year FBI ARRESTS WISCONSIN JUDGE ALLEGING SHE OBSTRUCTED ARREST OF ILLEGAL ALIEN Specifically Jose Cano stated that he destroyed the cellphone and further admitted that he held the cellphone contained photos or videos that would reflect negatively on Ortega a federal complaint states Through further questioning agents ascertained that Jose Cano destroyed the cellphone believing that it contained photographs of Ortega holding firearms that Ortega had uploaded onto social media platforms which would be additional incriminating evidence against him Federal personnel seized other cellphones from Oretga that apparently contained messages showing his Tren de Aragua affiliation and photos of Ortega in possession of firearms and ammunition In social media videos Ortega can allegedly be seen shooting an AR- style rifle with a suppressor at metal targets NEW MEXICO JUDGE RESIGNS AFTER ALLEGED TDA MEMBER ARRESTED AT HIS HOMECLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPJoel Cano resigned from his judicial position in March and last month the New Mexico Supreme Court issued a ruling permanently barring him from holding any judicial office in the state Joel and Nancy Cano face up to years in prison Fox News Digital reached out to their attorney for comment 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 Attorney General Pam Bondi declared in a video message last week Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this analysis
