A quiet casita behind a former Doña Ana County magistrate’s home wound up at the center of a federal gun case, and now the man who lived there is headed to prison. Cristhian Ortega‑Lopez, a 23‑year‑old Venezuelan man, was sentenced on June 30 to 19 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing firearms and conspiring to destroy evidence. He pleaded guilty in October 2025 and has been in federal custody since his Feb. 28, 2025, arrest. The investigation also led to the indictment of the former judge and his wife and to the seizure of four firearms from a related residence.
According to federal court filings, Ortega‑Lopez admitted he recognized multiple firearms and took part in efforts to scrub incriminating social media content after agents started asking questions. He received the 19-month sentence on June 30 under a plea deal that reduced charges that, on paper, carried significantly higher maximum penalties. Prosecutors say he acknowledged helping to delete a Facebook account they claim contained photos and videos tying him to the weapons.
How investigators say the case unfolded
Homeland Security Investigations opened the probe in January 2025 after an anonymous tip, and on Feb. 28, agents executed search warrants that ended with Ortega‑Lopez under arrest and several firearms and mobile devices seized, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Investigators say his own posts showed him handling and firing weapons at a Las Cruces shooting range and at a residence linked to the Cano family. Data pulled from phones and accounts also suggested attempts to remove or hide online material that could be used in court.
The Cano connection
KVIA has reported, citing court records, that Ortega‑Lopez did handyman work for former magistrate Jose “Joel” Cano and his wife, Nancy, and lived in a small casita on their property. In social media posts, he reportedly referred to the couple as “Patron” and “Patrona” and told an informant he had received a firearm as a Christmas gift from the family. After his arrest, federal agents searched the home of the Canos’ daughter and recovered four firearms, investigators say match those seen in Ortega‑Lopez’s online photos and videos. The Canos have denied any gang affiliation and say their contacts with the men were humanitarian and employment-related.
Charges and court calendar
Ortega‑Lopez pleaded guilty in October 2025 to being an alien in possession of a firearm and to conspiracy to tamper with evidence, charges that originally carried lengthy statutory maximums, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. A federal judge imposed the 19-month sentence on June 30. In a separate indictment, Jose and Nancy Cano face evidence tampering counts tied to the same investigation and have pleaded not guilty. A jury trial for the couple is scheduled to begin Sept. 21, according to KTSM.
Prosecutors’ claims and defense pushback
In court filings and hearings, prosecutors have pointed to tattoos, clothing, and social media content they say suggest Ortega‑Lopez is affiliated with the Tren de Aragua transnational criminal organization. Defense attorneys have pushed back and sought to keep those allegations out of the sentencing calculus, arguing they are unproven and prejudicial, according to reporting in the Albuquerque Journal. The court will weigh those arguments as the Canos’ case moves toward trial and as prosecutors finalize sentencing recommendations.
What’s next
Ortega‑Lopez will be subject to immigration removal proceedings after serving his federal sentence, and the Canos remain free on court-imposed conditions as they prepare for trial. Federal prosecutors say the case highlights how social media posts and data pulled from devices can speed up interior enforcement work in border communities.
