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JOEL CANO, a former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge, and his wife, NANCY CANO, have been released from jail on $10,000 bond each after being accused of harboring a member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, a designated foreign terrorist organization. The couple was arrested last month on charges of tampering with evidence following a federal raid on their Las Cruces, New Mexico, home.
According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received a tip in January 2025 that CRISTHIAN ORTEGA-LOPEZ, an alleged Tren de Aragua member, was residing unlawfully in the U.S. at the Canos’ property. Ortega-Lopez, who illegally entered the U.S. 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 guesthouse.
During a search of the Canos’ home on April 24, federal agents sought to locate Ortega-Lopez’s missing phone. Joel Cano allegedly admitted to destroying the device with a hammer and discarding the pieces in a city trash dumpster earlier this year. He reportedly believed the phone contained incriminating photos or videos of Ortega-Lopez holding firearms, which had been uploaded to social media.
Federal authorities seized other cellphones from Ortega-Lopez, which allegedly contained messages confirming his affiliation with Tren de Aragua and photos of him in possession of firearms and ammunition. Social media videos reportedly show Ortega-Lopez firing an AR-15-style rifle with a suppressor at metal targets.
Joel Cano resigned from his judicial position in March, and last month, the New Mexico Supreme Court permanently barred him from holding any judicial office in the state. Both Joel and Nancy Cano face up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Fox News Digital reached out to their attorney for comment but has not yet received a response.
In a video message last week, 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.”
Fox News Digital’s LOUIS CASIANO and JASMINE BAEHR contributed to this report.
[Sources: Fox News](https://www.foxnews.com)
