A former Justice of the Peace choose in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, and his spouse are accused of tampering with proof linked to the arrest of an undocumented migrant suspected of being a member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, in keeping with two legal complaints filed Friday.
Former Doña Ana County Justice of the Peace Decide Jose Luis Cano, also referred to as Joel Cano, is dealing with a federal cost of tampering with proof, and his spouse, Nancy Cano, was charged with conspiracy to tamper with proof, court docket information present. CNN has reached out to their legal professional for remark.
The migrant, Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, is a Venezuelan who was charged earlier this yr for illegal possession of a firearm or ammunition, court docket paperwork present.
Homeland Safety Investigations launched an investigation into Ortega-Lopez in January after receiving an nameless tip accusing him of dwelling with different undocumented migrants at a house owned by Nancy and Jose Cano in Las Cruces and carrying firearms, the complaints state.
US Lawyer Common Pamela Bondi informed Fox Information Friday authorities acquired a tip the migrant had been dwelling with the choose. “That is the final individual we wish in our nation, nor will we ever tolerate a choose or anybody else harboring them,” she mentioned.
Ortega-Lopez had posted images and movies on Fb exhibiting him at what seems to be a taking pictures vary in Las Cruces and noticed to be holding handguns or assault-style rifles, in keeping with the criticism in opposition to him.
Investigators mentioned they recognized tattoos, clothes and hand gestures “generally related” with Tren de Aragua in images and movies posted on-line by Ortega-Lopez, saying this “present(s) robust proof of Cristhian Ortega’s potential connection” to the gang, in keeping with the legal criticism.
Tren de Aragua is a criminal gang that originated in a Venezuelan jail and now operates in the USA. The gang has been linked to human trafficking and different crimes focusing on migrants, in addition to cash laundering, drug smuggling, kidnapping and extortion, in keeping with the US Division of the Treasury’s Workplace of Overseas Belongings Management.
The previous choose staunchly denied any wrongdoing and maintained he had no prior data of Ortega-Lopez’s alleged ties to the Tren de Aragua gang, or of the 2 different males who related to him, and defended his resolution to permit the boys to remain on his property, CNN affiliate KOAT reported, citing a 23-page letter beforehand submitted to the New Mexico Supreme Courtroom.
“Let me be as crystal clear as doable,” Jose Luis Cano wrote, KOAT reported. “The very first time I ever heard that (the boys) might presumably have any affiliation with Tren de Aragua was once I was knowledgeable of that by (the) brokers on the day of the raid.”
Two search warrants had been executed on February 28, with one location being the Canos’ residence, and Ortega-Lopez was finally arrested and charged, the complaints state. Investigators discovered three cell telephones belonging to Ortega-Lopez on the Canos’ residence, whereas 4 firearms had been discovered at a separate residence that was additionally searched, in keeping with the complaints.
A telephone name Ortega-Lopez made on the time of his arrest made investigators consider he may need one other mobile phone, the paperwork present. On April 22, investigators requested any “recorded jail calls, messages, movies, and deposits pertaining to Ortega.”
A picture initially posted by Cristhian Ortega to his Fb web page and launched by the US District Courtroom for the District of New Mexico exhibits a hand holding ammunition. – US District Courtroom for the District of New Mexico
They found two video messages between Nancy Cano and Ortega-Lopez, which confirmed a fourth telephone and the 2 discussing the way to doubtlessly delete Ortega-Lopez’s Fb accounts, the criticism in opposition to Nancy Cano states.
This prompted investigators to execute a warrant on the Cano property Thursday searching for one other telephone owned by Ortega-Lopez, in addition to a telephone owned by Nancy Cano, in keeping with the criticism.
Throughout the search, Jose Luis Cano agreed to talk with investigators and informed them he destroyed Ortega-Lopez’s telephone “by smashing it with a hammer and discard(ing) the remaining items within the metropolis trash dumpster roughly 5 weeks in the past,” including he thought the telephone “contained images or movies that may replicate negatively” on Ortega-Lopez, the criticism in opposition to him said.
When questioned additional, Jose Luis Cano mentioned he destroyed the telephone as a result of he believed it contained images of Ortega-Lopez holding firearms, the criticism said.
CNN has reached out to ICE and the US Lawyer Common’s Workplace for extra data on the case.
The arrests of Jose Luis and Nancy Cano come after the previous choose resigned from his position in March, in keeping with court docket paperwork. On Tuesday, the New Mexico Supreme Courtroom ordered Joel Cano by no means to carry or run for a New Mexico judicial workplace sooner or later, the paperwork said.
CNN’s Hanna Park, Ray Sanchez and Rafael Romo contributed to this report.
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