JUDGE JOEL CANO AND WIFE NANCY ARRESTED: HOUSED 3 TERRORISTS
BY SNN.BZ STAFF
Former New Mexico Judge and Wife Arrested for Harboring Three (3) Tren de Aragua Gang Members in their home
Las Cruces, New Mexico – In a shocking turn of events, former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano and his wife, Nancy Cano, were arrested on April 24, 2025, for allegedly harboring three suspected members of the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, at their Las Cruces home. The arrests follow a federal raid on their residence, raising serious questions about judicial integrity, public safety, and the couple’s ties to the gang members. The three suspected gang members, Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, Jose Gregorio Matuzima Vargas, and Juan Carlos Lopez Munoz, are currently in custody at the Doña Ana County Detention Center, facing federal charges related to illegal firearm possession and immigration violations.
Background of the Case
Joel Cano, a Democrat and former police officer who served as a magistrate judge since 2011, resigned abruptly on March 3, 2025, shortly after federal agents executed a search warrant at his home on February 28. The raid targeted Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, a 23-year-old Venezuelan national suspected of Tren de Aragua affiliation, who was living in a guesthouse or “casita” behind the Cano residence. Subsequent investigations revealed that two other Venezuelans, Jose Gregorio Matuzima Vargas and Juan Carlos Lopez Munoz, were also residing at the property. All three were arrested during the February raid and charged with being illegal aliens in possession of firearms, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5), which carries a potential 15-year prison sentence.
Court documents and social media evidence paint a disturbing picture of the Cano family’s relationship with the suspected gang members. Ortega-Lopez, Vargas, and Munoz were reportedly hired by Nancy Cano for home repairs and odd jobs around the property, including construction work and chores. After Ortega-Lopez was evicted from an apartment in April 2024, Nancy offered him the casita, and Vargas and Munoz later joined him. The trio reportedly used the Cano residence as their address for immigration relief applications in 2024, with Joel Cano’s alleged approval.
The Cano Family and Firearms
The investigation took a more alarming turn when authorities discovered the involvement of April Cano, Nancy’s adult daughter, who lives in a neighboring property. April, described as having an affinity for collecting firearms, allegedly allowed Ortega-Lopez, Vargas, and Munoz to handle and shoot her weapons. Federal agents seized four firearms from April’s residence during the February raid, including rifles and handguns, some of which appeared in social media posts by Ortega-Lopez. These posts showed the trio at a Las Cruces shooting range, posing with firearms and displaying Tren de Aragua gang tattoos, clothing, and hand signs. One video even depicted Ortega-Lopez handing a rifle to Joel and Nancy Cano, with the couple appearing comfortable and familiar with the weapon.
Prosecutors allege that April Cano’s firearms were used by the suspected gang members, who were prohibited from possessing weapons under U.S. law due to their undocumented status. The social media evidence, combined with voicemails and text messages found on Ortega-Lopez’s cellphone, confirmed their affiliation with Tren de Aragua. Disturbingly, Ortega-Lopez’s phone also contained graphic images of decapitated and mutilated bodies, further underscoring the violent nature of the gang.
Arrests and Charges
On April 24, 2025, the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a second raid on the Cano residence, arresting Joel and Nancy Cano on charges of evidence tampering and harboring illegal aliens. The couple’s arrest came after a months-long investigation that began with an anonymous tip in January 2025, which alerted authorities to Ortega-Lopez’s presence at the Cano property and his possession of firearms. The New Mexico Supreme Court had already permanently barred Joel Cano from holding judicial office on April 22, 2025, citing his misconduct and association with the gang members.
Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, Jose Gregorio Matuzima Vargas, and Juan Carlos Lopez Munoz remain in custody at the Doña Ana County Detention Center without bond, awaiting trial. Ortega-Lopez, the primary suspect, entered the U.S. illegally on December 15, 2023, near Eagle Pass, Texas, by scaling a barbed-wire fence. He was released three days later due to overcrowding at a Border Patrol facility, a consequence of the Biden administration’s border policies, according to court documents. Vargas and Munoz, also undocumented Venezuelan nationals, are believed to have entered the U.S. under similar circumstances, though specific details of their entry are not publicly available.
Community Reaction and Familiarity with the Suspects
The arrests have stunned the Las Cruces community, where the three suspected gang members had become a familiar sight. Residents reported seeing Ortega-Lopez, Vargas, and Munoz driving around town, often in vehicles associated with the Cano family, and performing chores at the Cano property, such as landscaping, repairs, and maintenance. The trio’s integration into the community, facilitated by their employment with the Canos, allowed them to blend in despite their alleged gang affiliations. Locals expressed shock and concern that a sitting judge and his family could be so closely tied to individuals linked to a terrorist organization.
“Doña Ana County has been a hotbed of illegal immigration and drug trafficking, human smuggling for many, many years,” said John Fabbricatore, former ICE Field Office Director, in an interview with WPMI. “To see that a judge would allow this to happen. It’s very concerning. What else has the judge been doing?”
Evidence of Gang Affiliation
Federal prosecutors have presented compelling evidence of the trio’s ties to Tren de Aragua, recently declared a transnational criminal organization by the U.S. government. Ortega-Lopez’s cellphone contained conversations referencing his AK-47 tattoo as an “Aragua train” and joking about a $5,000 reward offered by Texas for Tren de Aragua members. Other messages discussed obtaining grenades and firearms, further implicating the suspects in gang activities. Vargas and Munoz, while less prominent in the court filings, were identified as Ortega-Lopez’s roommates and associates, with similar gang-related indicators in their clothing and behavior.
Social media posts also showed the trio socializing with the Cano family, including a 2024 Christmas photo and images of them eating dinner together. Joel Cano, often seen in a cowboy hat and bolo tie, appeared alongside Ortega-Lopez in several photos, raising questions about the extent of their relationship. Nancy Cano, in a letter to U.S. Magistrate Judge Damian Martinez on March 13, 2025, described Ortega-Lopez as “like my own son,” pleading for his release and claiming he was not a danger to the community. This letter, combined with the couple’s actions, has fueled speculation about their motives, with some questioning whether they were complicit in gang activities or simply naive about the trio’s affiliations.
Judicial and Political Fallout
Joel Cano’s resignation and subsequent arrest have sparked outrage among New Mexico Republicans, who are calling for greater accountability in the judiciary. Amy Barela, chairwoman of the Republican Party of New Mexico, stated, “The people of New Mexico are tired of a system where the powerful don’t play by their own rules. We demand real accountability for Judge Cano’s connection to a gang-affiliated criminal and full transparency on how our judiciary is being held to the same laws as the rest of us.”
The Department of Justice is reportedly investigating Cano’s judicial decisions for potential bias or misconduct, particularly in cases involving immigration or gang-related crimes. His tenure as a judge, which began after a career as a police officer and a 1975 graduate of Las Cruces High School, has come under scrutiny as authorities probe whether he leveraged his position to aid the suspected gang members.
National Context and Tren de Aragua
The case has drawn national attention due to President Donald Trump’s focus on Tren de Aragua, which he designated a foreign terrorist organization in 2025. In a proclamation, Trump stated, “Tren de Aragua is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization with thousands of members, many of whom have unlawfully infiltrated the United States and are conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States.” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem emphasized the administration’s commitment to cracking down on the gang, noting that over 600 Tren de Aragua members have been arrested under Trump’s policies.
The Cano case underscores the challenges of addressing illegal immigration and gang activity in border states like New Mexico. Critics argue that lax border policies during the Biden administration allowed individuals like Ortega-Lopez, Vargas, and Munoz to enter and remain in the U.S., while supporters of immigration reform, such as Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council, contend that Tren de Aragua’s threat has been exaggerated and is not an organized invasion.
Ongoing Investigation
As the investigation continues, authorities are examining whether Joel and Nancy Cano will face additional charges, such as providing material support to a terrorist organization. The role of April Cano, whose firearms were central to the charges against the trio, remains under scrutiny, though she has not been charged as of April 25, 2025. The Las Cruces community awaits answers about how a respected judge and his family became entangled with a violent gang, and whether their actions endangered public safety.
For now, Ortega-Lopez, Vargas, and Munoz remain detained at the Doña Ana County Detention Center, their trials pending. The Cano family’s fall from grace serves as a stark reminder of the complexities and dangers posed by transnational crime in America’s border regions.
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin Judge Hannah C. Duggan lost her temper when she realized ICE had already entered the courthouse. She lied to them sending them to another court location in order to lead an illegal alien and his attorney out through a back door with the intention of deterring ICE from arresting Eduardo Flores Ruiz.
Click here to read entire article which includes the Criminal Complaint.
