(TJV NEWS) A New Mexico judge abruptly resigned last month, just days after federal agents arrested a suspected member of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang at his residence, The Blaze reported.

Judge Jose “Joel” Cano, a Democrat and longtime magistrate in Doña Ana County, submitted his resignation letter on March 3, indicating that his last day on the bench would be March 21. In the letter, addressed to 3rd Judicial District Chief Judge Conrad Perea and other court officials, Cano expressed gratitude for his time serving in the judiciary, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

But as The Blaze highlighted, Cano’s departure came just three days after ICE agents executed a search warrant at his home in Las Cruces. The operation targeted 23-year-old Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela and alleged member of the violent Tren de Aragua cartel, who had been living on Cano’s property.

Ortega-Lopez reportedly entered the U.S. by climbing a barbed-wire fence near Eagle Pass, Texas, amid the Biden administration’s border crisis in late 2023. After spending a few days in a detention facility in South Laredo, he was released due to overcrowding, The Blaze noted. He then moved to El Paso and eventually met Nancy Cano, the judge’s wife, who allowed him to live in a small casita behind their home.

According to The Blaze, court documents show Ortega-Lopez listed the judge’s address as his own when he filed for immigration relief in April 2024. Prosecutors also revealed social media photos and videos that appeared to show Judge Cano and Ortega-Lopez together, suggesting more than just a landlord-tenant relationship. In one photo, Ortega-Lopez was seen holding an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun simultaneously, while other footage showed him firing rifles at a gun range.

Further investigations led federal agents to another home nearby belonging to April Cano, identified as Nancy Cano’s daughter. There, a cache of firearms was discovered, some of which were allegedly used by Ortega-Lopez in videos circulating online. Prosecutors claim that April Cano allowed Ortega-Lopez to handle and shoot various weapons. The suspect’s phone also reportedly contained disturbing images of mutilated and decapitated bodies, according to The Blaze.

Initially, U.S. Magistrate Judge Damian Martinez ordered Ortega-Lopez’s release, reportedly saying he found it hard to believe Judge Cano “would just let anybody live in his property.” That decision was quickly appealed by prosecutors, who cited security risks and the judge’s statement in their motion. Martinez also raised the possibility of Nancy Cano serving as a third-party custodian, The Blaze reported.

Ortega-Lopez is currently being held without bond at the Doña Ana County Detention Center, facing federal charges for unlawfully possessing firearms as an illegal alien. Jail records confirm he is also under detention for violating federal immigration laws.

Whether Joel or Nancy Cano will face legal repercussions for their involvement remains unclear. The Canos have so far declined to comment, saying they wish to avoid jeopardizing Ortega-Lopez’s legal proceedings.

Joel Cano, a former police officer, was first elected as a Democrat in 2010 and retained his seat through unopposed elections, most recently in 2022. The resignation and scandal come just months after the U.S. government formally designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization, underscoring the growing concerns about the gang’s infiltration into the U.S., as The Blaze pointed out.