An illegal immigrant suspected of being a Tren de Aragua gang member and living with a judge in New Mexico has pleaded guilty to “illegally possessing firearms and conspiracy to destroy evidence,” the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in an Oct. 17 statement.
Cristhian Ortega-Lopez entered the United States illegally in 2023 under the Biden administration and was released into the country, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. Authorities allege that Magistrate Judge Jose Cano and his wife initially hired Ortega-Lopez for home repairs, later allowing him to live at their guesthouse.
Ortega-Lopez “posted numerous photos and videos of himself on social media accounts with weapons including an AR-15 style rifle, a semi-automatic handgun, and ammunition,” the DHS stated.
Tren de Aragua was designated as a foreign terrorist organization and a specially designated global terrorist group by the State Department in February.
In January, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) received an anonymous tip about Ortega-Lopez living in New Mexico while possessing firearms, which culminated in his arrest at the judge’s house the following month.
After Ortega-Lopez was arrested, Cano allegedly smashed a cellphone belonging to Ortega-Lopez with a hammer and discarded the remains, “believing it contained incriminating photos and videos,” according to the DHS.
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