Former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano and his wife, Nancy Cano, are in the custody of federal authorities, facing serious charges linked to their alleged association with a suspected member of the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, as reported by KTSM. Joel, now disbarred, is accused of tampering with evidence, while Nancy faces a charge of conspiracy to tamper with evidence for their purported efforts to aid Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, who had been staying at their property.
Adding to the case's complexity, Joel Cano is reported by KCRG to have demolished a phone with a hammer, worried that images or videos on it would implicate Ortega-Lopez, the suspect had previously been arrested on charges of living in the U.S. illegally while in possession of firearms; the Canos had offered him accommodation and employment at their residence in Las Cruces, telecommunications between Nancy and Ortega-Lopez persisted after his arrest, with efforts to delete his Facebook account which contained potential incriminating evidence, although the deletion attempts were ultimately unsuccessful.
The alleged destruction of the phone, which could have held evidence affirming a link to Tren de Aragua, has Joel Cano facing serious federal charges, with Nancy Cano accused of attempting to assist Ortega-Lopez in obscuring his online profile, according to KTSM. The couple made a court appearance in custody, vividly described by KFOX-TV as being shackled and donning prison jumpsuits, with potential penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment hanging over their heads.
Before his resignation last month, after being sought by the state Judicial Standards Commission for suspension, Joel Cano had consistently denied the U.S. government’s characterization of the men as gang members, asserting that they went through "thorough and rigorous" proceedings with immigration officials upon entering the country, as obtained by KFOX-TV. Despite these claims, federal agents believe that the photos and videos on social media of Ortega-Lopez, which have since become crucial to the investigation, "displayed clear indicators of Tren de Aragua."
