The former New Mexico judge resigned last month, and was arrested at his home by accused member of Tren de Aragua and could no longer serve on the state’s bench.
On Tuesday, the New Mexico Supreme Court ordered Joel Cano to “no longer be able to serve as the judiciary, become a candidate for the Justice Department, and to exercise any judiciary in the state, including presiding at a wedding.”
The court plans to hear oral debates on disciplinary cases this Thursday in disciplinary action, but the argument has been dismissed as the case has been resolved.
Cano serves in Doña Ana County District Court in Las Cruces. The resignation letter obtained by Fox News Digital was dated March 3, but an AOC spokesman said it had not been received until March 31, neither the Supreme Court nor the Third District Court of Justice.
New Mexico judge resigns after alleged TDA member is arrested at his home
The exhibition was filed on March 13, 2025 in the case of Cristhian Ortega-Lopez v. Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, and was described as “Cristhian with the Cano family at home.” (U.S. District Court of New Mexico)
Cano’s resignation letter stated that his last day in the job was March 21.
“For each of you, everything will be fine,” he wrote. “I hope all of you are ready to retire once.”
Back in January, the Homeland Security Investigation began studying Venezuelan Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, “the illegal aliens in Venezuela, and suspected members of the criminal gang, who “live with other illegal foreigners” and “own the launch film.”
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A photo filed on March 13, 2025, in the U.S. v. Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, appears to show that the so-called TDA gang members have dinner with members of the Cano family. (U.S. District Court of New Mexico)
On February 28, two search warrants were executed in a family investigator identified by Cano’s wife, Nancy Cano. Ortega-Lopez and his roommate were detained, and agents “snatched four guns from the residence of Cano in April”. April Cano is the daughter of Nancy and Joel of court documents.
Ortega-Lopez was discovered by investigators who put their weapons in social media posts, saying some said it was owned by April Cano, who “allowed him to hold and sometimes shoot various guns.”
2024 Christmas photos of Cristhian Ortega-Lopez are in the Cano family home, court documents say. (U.S. District Court of New Mexico)
Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, a member of the Tren de Aragua gang, allegedly from a social media account found by investigators. (U.S. immigration and customs enforcement)
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Ortega-Lopez acknowledges Illegal entry into the United States Departing from Mexico in December 2023, according to court documents. He allegedly told investigators that he lived in an El Paso apartment with five other apartments when he met Nancy Cano “installed glass doors for her.”
After he continued to do some work for Nancy Cano and was expelled from the apartment in April 2024, Nancy Cano helped her ‘casita’ behind her shared residence with her husband Joel Cano, court documents show. ”
