LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A former New Mexico judge has been arrested on an evidence tampering charge for allegedly destroying a phone belonging to a tenant who is accused of keeping guns at the property and suspected of being a member of a Venezuelan criminal gang.
Federal authorities said in court records that former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Jose Luis “Joel” Cano, who was arrested Thursday, told investigators that he believed photos or videos on the device would reflect negatively on the tenant and threw away what remained of it five weeks ago after smashing it with a hammer.
Cano resigned last month after the state Judicial Standards Commission sought to suspend him, saying he was accused of letting three members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua live on his property in Las Cruces and have access to firearms.
In a court filing, Cano denied the U.S. government’s characterization of the men as gang members, saying each of them were subjected to “thorough and rigorous” proceedings with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents when they entered the country. He said the first time he heard that they may have gang ties was the morning federal agents raided their home took the men into custody.
