A routine home improvement project led to an unlikely friendship between a Democrat judge and an alleged Venezuelan gang member, ultimately ending in a dramatic raid by Homeland Security.
According to the Daily Mail, Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano stepped down from his position last month after authorities discovered he was housing Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, a suspected member of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang.
The relationship between Judge Cano and Ortega-Lopez began in December 2023 when the 23-year-old Venezuelan national was hired to install a glass door at the judge's residence. After being released from a detention facility due to overcrowding, Ortega-Lopez initially moved into an El Paso apartment with five others before accepting an offer to stay in the Canos' guest house.
Social media posts revealed the extent of Ortega-Lopez's integration into the Cano family's daily life. Photos showed him participating in family dinners and celebrating Christmas with the Canos in 2024. A particularly concerning video surfaced showing Judge Cano and his wife Nancy handling a rifle provided by someone off-camera.
Department of Homeland Security received a tip in January 2025 raising concerns about Ortega-Lopez's gang affiliations and firearm possession while residing at the Cano property. Investigation of his social media accounts uncovered multiple photos of him posing with weapons.
Evidence of gang membership included distinctive tattoos, clothing choices, and hand signals associated with Tren de Aragua. During the subsequent raid, authorities seized four guns belonging to the Canos' daughter April and three phones linked to Ortega-Lopez.
Court documents revealed disturbing content discovered on Ortega-Lopez's phones, including text messages containing images of mutilated murder victims with severed heads and hands.
Judge Cano, who had served since 2011 after a career in law enforcement, submitted a brief resignation letter that notably avoided addressing the situation with his houseguest. He simply expressed gratitude for his time serving and wished his colleagues well in their future retirements.
The case took an unexpected turn when Magistrate Judge Damian L. Martinez, initially inclined to release Ortega-Lopez, was overruled after prosecutors successfully argued against it. The alleged gang member now faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
From the initial decision to help an undocumented worker to hosting holiday celebrations together, Judge Cano's association with Ortega-Lopez shows how quickly professional boundaries can blur. His resignation marks the end of a 14-year judicial career that began after serving as a police officer.
Judge Cano and his wife provided housing to Ortega-Lopez in their "casita" following his eviction from an El Paso apartment in April 2024. The arrangement continued until the January 2025 raid exposed the alleged gang member's true identity.
A replacement magistrate will be appointed to complete Cano's term, which was set to end in 2026. Meanwhile, Ortega-Lopez remains in custody as his case proceeds through the legal system.
The case of Joel Cano illustrates how a seemingly charitable act toward an undocumented immigrant led to the unraveling of a respected judge's career. After hiring Ortega-Lopez for home repairs and later providing him housing, the judge found himself at the center of a federal investigation involving gang activity and illegal weapons. The discovery of disturbing evidence on Ortega-Lopez's phones, combined with his alleged ties to the Tren de Aragua gang, transformed what appeared to be a humanitarian gesture into a serious legal matter. Now Ortega-Lopez faces significant prison time while the former judge's reputation lies in ruins, leaving the New Mexico judiciary to grapple with the consequences of this unprecedented situation.
