A former New Mexico judge and his wife allegedly tried to hide incriminating images and videos of an illegal immigrant believed to be a member of Venezuela’s notorious Tren de Aragua gang and harbored other migrants, the Justice Department said Friday.
Former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano, 68, and his wife, Nancy Cano, 67, were arrested Thursday after federal agents raided their Las Cruces home. The pair face charges of evidence tampering amid allegations they harbored Cristhian Ortega-Lopez.
“Judges are responsible for upholding our country’s laws. It is beyond egregious for a former judge and his wife to engage in evidence tampering on behalf of a suspected Tren de Aragua gang member accused of illegally possessing firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to dismantling this foreign terrorist organization by disrupting its criminal operations in New Mexico. That starts by prosecuting those who support gang members — including judges.”
“The rule of law is very simple: It doesn’t matter what line of work you’re in. If you break the law, we will follow the facts, and we will prosecute you,” Bondi said in a video message Friday.
Another judge arrested for allegedly interfering in the arrest of an illegal immigrant in Wisconsin also faces federal charges. Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan, 65, allegedly confronted federal agents inside a courthouse April 18 and ordered them to leave as they were trying to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican citizen who was previously deported and recently charged with multiple counts of domestic abuse-related battery.
Flores-Ruiz allegedly punched a man 30 times and struck a woman, Bondi said. Both victims were in court when Dugan learned that ICE was outside to arrest him.
Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan being arrested Friday. (Obtained by Fox News)
“After being made aware of a valid immigration arrest warrant, Judge Dugan told agents that they needed a judicial warrant and demanded that they go to the Chief Judge’s office, the Justice Department said in a news release Friday. “Once the agents were no longer in the vicinity of her courtroom, Judge Dugan allegedly elected not to conduct a hearing on Flores-Ruiz’s criminal case despite the fact that victims of his offense were present and instead personally escorted Flores-Ruiz and his attorney through a restricted ‘jury door’ exit not typically used by defendants or attorneys.”
The doorway led to a nonpublic hallway, which Flores-Ruiz and his attorney used to leave Dugan’s courtroom, prosecutors said. He was eventually arrested outside the courthouse after a brief foot chase.
Dugan is charged with obstruction of proceedings before a department or agency of the United States and concealing a person to prevent arrest. She faces up to six years in prison.
Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz is an illegal immigrant who Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan is accused of helping evade arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. (DHS/Milwaukee Independent via AP)
Flores-Ruiz was previously deported in 2013 and reentered the U.S. illegally, authorities said.
“Sanctuary jurisdictions that shield criminal aliens endanger American communities,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This Justice Department will not stand by as local officials put politics over public safety. Reckless sanctuary city policies create a sanctuary for one class — criminals. Those days are over.”
