A quiet Las Cruces neighborhood turned into the wild scene of a criminal raid on Thursday morning as federal agents arrested a recently resigned New Mexico judge and his wife.
The couple were arrested for harboring a suspected member of Tren de Aragua, a notoriously violent Venezuelan gang infiltrating America’s border states.
Jose “Joel” Cano, a former judge in Doña Ana County, and his wife, Nancy Cano, were taken into custody following a federal raid at their home. Video footage shot by KFOX14 News shows the couple being led away in handcuffs. Joel Cano, with his hands behind his back, speaking to FBI agents on the sidewalk, and Nancy Cano, escorted by an officer with Homeland Security.
The arrests come after the couple’s alleged role in sheltering 23-year-old Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, an illegal alien from Venezuela that federal investigators believe is affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang. Ortega-Lopez was arrested at the Cano home in February after a months-long investigation, during which he had reportedly been living in the family’s guesthouse and appearing in family Christmas photos, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Court documents allege Ortega-Lopez was first hired by Nancy Cano to work as a handyman in El Paso before moving into the Cano property. Federal authorities say Ortega-Lopez has visible gang tattoos, and his social media profiles featured gang-related pictures and messages.
The charges against the Canos now include tampering with evidence for Joel and conspiracy to tamper for Nancy. Another raid at the home of the couple’s adult daughter, April Cano, reportedly found four guns, some of which investigators believe were accessible to Ortega-Lopez.
Judge Cano quietly submitted his resignation on March 3, days after Ortega-Lopez’s arrest. His letter did not mention the incident, offering a generic farewell to his former co-workers.
The judge’s resignation wasn’t formally processed until March 21, and it reportedly reached the New Mexico Supreme Court on March 31.
Ortega-Lopez remains in custody at the Doña Ana County Detention Center, held without bond while facing several federal charges, including illegal possession of firearms and suspected gang affiliation. His entry into America dates back to December 2023, when authorities say he illegally crossed the border near Eagle Pass, Texas.
Federal agents say the Tren de Aragua gang, which started in Venezuelan prisons, is spreading into America’s border states – and now apparently has ties to some state officials. Known for violent crimes like extortion and trafficking, the group has become a growing concern for immigration and police departments across the country.