Former New Mexico Judge Joel Cano, Wife Released on $10K Bond Amid Gang Investigation

Former New Mexico judge Joel Cano and his wife, Nancy, were released on $10,000 bond after being arrested on charges of tampering with evidence in a case involving an alleged member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Federal authorities allege the Canos hosted Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, a suspected gang member and undocumented immigrant, at their Las Cruces home, where firearms were present and used for social media posts. Joel Cano admitted to destroying Ortega-Lopez's cellphone, while Nancy Cano allegedly discussed deleting Ortega-Lopez's Facebook account, both actions intended to eliminate incriminating evidence. As part of their release conditions, the Canos are prohibited from leaving Doña Ana County, must remove all firearms from their home, and are barred from contacting Ortega-Lopez. Additionally, anyone staying at their properties must provide proof of legal residency or citizenship. The New Mexico Supreme Court has permanently barred Joel Cano from serving as a judge again.