A former New Mexico judge and his wife have been arrested and charged with tampering with evidence tied to a suspected member of the violent Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua.
Jose Luis Cano, also known as Joel Cano, previously served as a magistrate judge in Doña Ana County.
He now faces federal charges after allegedly destroying a phone belonging to Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, an undocumented Venezuelan migrant accused of firearm possession and suspected of gang ties. His wife, Nancy Cano, has been charged with conspiracy to tamper with evidence.
Authorities say Ortega-Lopez was living at the Canos’ Las Cruces home with other undocumented migrants. Homeland Security Investigations began looking into Ortega-Lopez in January after receiving an anonymous tip.
Investigators later uncovered videos and photos on his Facebook showing him with guns and making gestures associated with Tren de Aragua, a gang known for violent crimes, drug trafficking, and extortion.
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The Canos were allegedly caught on video communicating with Ortega-Lopez from jail and discussing the deletion of his social media accounts.
In a follow-up search, Jose Luis Cano admitted to smashing one of Ortega-Lopez’s phones with a hammer and throwing the pieces in a dumpster.
He claimed the phone had images that could damage Ortega-Lopez’s case, including pictures of him holding weapons.
Despite the charges, Cano insists he had no knowledge of Ortega-Lopez’s alleged gang connections. “The very first time I ever heard that the men could possibly have any association with Tren de Aragua was when I was informed of that by agents on the day of the raid,” he previously stated in a letter.
The New Mexico Supreme Court accepted Cano’s resignation last month and has barred him from holding judicial office again.
This case adds to growing concerns about the presence of international gangs operating in the U.S. and raises troubling questions about accountability, especially among former public officials.
