Judicial officer steps down following discovery of housing undocumented Venezuelan criminal at residence

A judge from New Mexico has stepped down from his position following the discovery of an illegal Venezuelan immigrant with suspected ties to a notorious gang residing in his guesthouse.

Joel Cano, a Magistrate in Doña Ana County, submitted his resignation on March 3, shortly after law enforcement officials conducted a search at his residence in pursuit of 23-year-old Cristhian Ortega-Lopez.

Ortega-Lopez, who unlawfully crossed into the United States from Mexico in December 2023, came into contact with Cano’s wife Nancy when he was contracted to install a glass door for her.

He had been released from a detention facility where he was being held just days after crossing the border due to overcrowding, and moved into a small El Paso apartment with five others.

‘He continued to do a few jobs for Nancy Cano, and after being evicted from the apartment in April, 2024, Nancy Cano offered her ‘casita’ in the back of the residence she shared with her husband Joel Cano,’ court documents state. 

The Department of Homeland Security received a tip in January 2025 which alleged Ortega-Lopez was an illegal immigrant and member of a criminal gang living at the property and in possession of firearms.

A quick search of his social media accounts exposed Ortega-Lopez posing with handguns and rifles. He was allegedly identifiable due to his tattoos.

According to court documents, Ortega-Lopez had tattoos, was wearing clothing and was flashing hand signs which all indicated an affiliation with Tren de Aragua.

Cano, a Democrat who served as a judge since 2011, did not directly address the fact that Ortega-Lopez was found in the casita at the back of his home in his resignation letter

Doña Ana County Magistrate Joel Cano filed his resignation letter on March 3, just days after law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his home in the hunt for 23-year-old Cristhian Ortega-Lopez (pictured together)

Ortega-Lopez entered the United States illegally from Mexico in December 2023 and met Cano’s wife Nancy when he was hired to install a glass door for her. He now faces 15 years in prison

His social media accounts also occasionally featured Cano and his wife. On one occasion, he smiled and posed with a gun which was handed over by the alleged gang member.

In another, he poses among four other young men, holding beers beside a barbecue.

At the time of his arrest on April 28, four guns were seized, allegedly belonging to the Cano’s’ daughter, April.

Three phones were also seized that were associated with Ortega-Lopez, the court documents state.

On one of these phones, officers found a text message exchange in which pictures of two murder victims were shared.

The victims bodies had been mutilated, heads decapitated and hands dismembered in the pictures, the court documents state.

‘The Defendant is a danger to the community because he is a member of the United States designated Foreign Terrorist Organization Tren de Aragua and regularly associates with other members,’ prosecutors wrote in a petition to keep him detained.

Cano, a Democrat who served as a judge since 2011, did not directly address the fact that Ortega-Lopez was found in the casita at the back of his home in his resignation letter.

Instead, he simply wrote: ‘My very last day at work will be on Friday, March 21, 2025, at which time I will have resigned my office.

‘Working with each of you has been a very rewarding experience for which I will remain eternally grateful.

His social media accounts also occasionally featured Cano and his wife. On one occasion, he smiled and posed with a gun which was handed over by the alleged gang member

A quick search of his social media accounts exposed Ortega-Lopez posing with handguns and rifles. He was allegedly identifiable due to his tattoos

In another, he poses among four other young men, holding beers beside a barbecue

‘All the best to every one of you. I wish you all a happy retirement once you are ready yourself.’

A replacement magistrate will be appointed to serve the remainder of Cano’s four-year term, which runs through 2026. 

Magistrate Judge Damian L. Martinez, who is presiding over Ortega-Lopez’ case, was initially inclined to free him and said he was not a flight risk or danger to the community.

Speaking of Cano, she said: ‘I don’t think he would just let anybody live in his property.’ 

Ortega-Lopez is facing 15 years in prison if convicted and remains in custody after prosecutors rallied against his release.