US Attorney General Reveals Information on the Arrest of New Mexico Judge
Court documents revealed that Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, a suspected gang member, was residing in a building on the property owned by a judge at the time of his arrest as an illegal immigrant.
On Friday, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi offered further insights into the arrest of a former judge from New Mexico, who was taken into custody a day prior for allegedly permitting an illegal immigrant and suspected Tren de Aragua gang member to stay at his home.
“This is the last type of individual we want in our country, and we will never accept a judge or anyone else providing them shelter,” Bondi stated concerning the alleged gang member and Cano.
In her Friday interview, the attorney general stated that Cano took Ortega-Lopez’s cell phones, “smashed them with a hammer, destroyed them, and then disposed of the pieces in a city dumpster” to shield him.
Bondi further remarked that Ortega-Lopez exhibited signs of gang affiliation and criminal involvement, including wearing a necklace that read “kill” and possessing images on his cellphone of “two decapitated victims,” which he was reportedly “sending to others.”
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According to Bondi, Cano’s wife, Nancy Cano, is also facing charges for destruction of evidence. She and her husband allegedly provided Ortega-Lopez with assault rifles that were owned by their daughter.
Ortega-Lopez and known members of the Tren de Aragua allegedly visited a shooting range with suppressors, Bondi noted.
“The Canos were reportedly supplying him with assault rifles, like AK-47s and AR-15s, to improve his shooting skills,” Bondi emphasized in another part of the interview. “The state of our judiciary is beyond comprehension.”
Documents filed in April indicated that Nancy Cano had hired Ortega-Lopez for “installing a glass door” and that he “continued working on various jobs” for her after being evicted from his apartment in April 2024, when she offered him lodging at the back of her and her husband’s residence.
While speaking with a local news outlet on Thursday, Cano defended his choice to allow the illegal immigrant to reside in his home, asserting that he would never jeopardize his family’s safety if he felt there was any threat.
The Tren de Aragua gang, along with MS-13 and Mexican drug cartels, was classified as terrorist organizations by the government in February.
The Epoch Times has reached out to an email account believed to belong to Cano for comments.
Katabella Roberts contributed to this report.
