The former New Mexico judge who resigned last month after an alleged Tren de Aragua member was arrested at his home can never serve on a bench in the state again.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of New Mexico ordered that Joel Cano “can never hold a judicial office again, be a candidate for a judicial office, and cannot exercise any judicial authority in the state, including officiating at weddings,” according to a spokesman for the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) told Fox News Digital.
The court was scheduled to hear oral arguments on disciplinary cases this Thursday, but the argument has been vacated now that the cases have been resolved.
Cano served in the Doña Ana County Magistrate Court in Las Cruces. His resignation letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, is dated March 3, but the AOC spokesman said it was not received by the Supreme Court and 3rd Judicial District Court until March 31.
NEW MEXICO JUDGE RESIGNS AFTER ALLEGED TDA MEMBER ARRESTED AT HIS HOME
Exhibit filed March 13, 2025, in the case U.S. v. Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, described as “Cristhian with the Cano family in their home.” (U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico)
Cano’s resignation letter stated his last day on the job was March 21.
“All the best to everyone of you,” he wrote. “I wish all of you a happy retirement once you are ready yourself.”
Back in January, Homeland Security Investigations Las Cruces began looking into Venezuelan native Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, “an illegal alien from Venezuela and a suspected member of a criminal gang” who was “residing with other illegal aliens” and “in possession of firearms,” according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
14 DETAINED IN ARMED AURORA, COLORADO HOME INVASION ARE LIKELY ILLEGAL GANG MEMBERS: POLICE
A photo filed March 13, 2025, in the case U.S. v. Cristhian Ortega-Lopez appears to show the alleged TdA gang member eating dinner with members of the Cano family. (U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico)
On Feb. 28, two search warrants were executed at a home investigators identified as owned by Cano’s wife, Nancy Cano. Ortega-Lopez and his roommates were taken into custody, and agents “seized four firearms from April Cano’s residence.” April Cano is the daughter of Nancy and Joel, court documents state.
Ortega-Lopez was found by investigators posing with weapons in social media posts, some of which he said were owned by April Cano, who “allowed him to hold and sometimes shoot various firearms.”
A Christmas photo from 2024 of Cristhian Ortega-Lopez in the Cano family home, court documents state. (U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico)
Alleged Tren de Aragua gang member Cristhian Ortega-Lopez from a social media account found by investigators. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
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Ortega-Lopez admitted to illegally entering the U.S. from Mexico in December 2023, according to court documents. He allegedly told investigators he was living in an El Paso apartment with five others when he met Nancy Cano “to install a glass door for her.”
“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.