Former New Mexico Judge Jose Luis Cano and Wife Arrested for Evidence Tampering
Former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Jose Luis “Joel” Cano and his wife Nancy Cano have been arrested on charges of evidence tampering in a federal case involving a Venezuelan gang member.
On April 24, 2025, federal authorities arrested former magistrate judge Jose Luis “Joel” Cano and his wife Nancy Cano on criminal charges related to evidence tampering. The charges stem from the case of Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, a Venezuelan national accused of having ties to the notorious Tren de Aragua gang.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Cano admitted to destroying a cell phone belonging to Ortega-Lopez after Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents seized three of Ortega-Lopez’s phones during a search of the Canos’ residence in February. Ortega-Lopez, who was arrested for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, informed agents about a fourth phone. When prompted for a search, Cano allegedly confessed to destroying it with a hammer.
“This is an egregious breach of public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico. “Judges are tasked with upholding the law, not undermining it by tampering with evidence on behalf of criminal suspects.”
The DOJ’s statement also highlighted that this arrest came alongside the arrest of another judge, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah C. Dugan, who was accused of obstructing law enforcement operations.
In the New Mexico case, Ortega-Lopez had been arrested in December 2023 for unlawful entry into the United States and released in April 2024 due to overcrowding in detention centers. In January 2024, Homeland Security Investigations received a tip-off that Ortega-Lopez and others were residing in an apartment behind the Canos’ home. This led to further investigations and the discovery of evidence tampering.
In addition to the charges of evidence tampering, Jose Cano had faced allegations of judicial misconduct for allegedly allowing gang members to live on his property and access firearms. On March 5, the Judicial Standards Commission petitioned the New Mexico Supreme Court for Cano’s suspension. Cano resigned from his position as a magistrate judge on March 21, 2025, and the New Mexico Supreme Court barred him from holding any judicial office on April 22.
The Canos are scheduled to appear for preliminary and detention hearings in federal court in Las Cruces.
