New Mexico's top prosecutor has directed state investigators to reopen a criminal probe into alleged wrongdoing at Zorro Ranch, the rural property south of Santa Fe once owned by the late Jeffrey Epstein. The decision, announced on Thursday by the New Mexico Department of Justice, rests on new information released publicly by the U.S. Department of Justice.
On January 30, the U.S. Justice Department disclosed millions of pages of documents related to Epstein. State officials said those materials contain revelations that warrant renewed scrutiny of activities tied to the ranch over the past three decades.
Raul Torrez, who succeeded Hector Balderas as attorney general, ordered the case reopened after Balderas had closed the state inquiry in 2019 to avoid duplicating federal probes. The state Department of Justice characterized the newly available federal records as containing material that requires further examination.
"Revelations outlined in the previously sealed FBI files warrant further examination," Lauren Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Justice, said in a statement. The criminal investigation announced by the attorney general is separate from a legislative inquiry that began earlier this week.
Two days before the attorney general's action, New Mexico's Democratic-controlled legislature launched what lawmakers called a first comprehensive review of allegations tied to Epstein's conduct at Zorro Ranch, located about 30 miles south of Santa Fe. That legislative committee is scheduled to take testimony at the state capitol.
The state's criminal probe will be led by prosecutors and special agents from the attorney general's office. Rodriguez said they will immediately seek the U.S. Department of Justice's complete, unredacted case file on Epstein and intend to work collaboratively with the legislature's investigative committee.
As part of the effort, the state said investigators will undertake the "collection and preservation of any relevant evidence that remains available." The announcement did not provide additional specifics about investigative steps or timelines.
The U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the state action.
Epstein, a financier who pleaded guilty in earlier state proceedings and later faced federal sex trafficking charges, died in a New York jail in 2019 in a death ruled a suicide while he was awaiting trial on federal counts. Ownership of Zorro Ranch changed hands in 2023 when Epstein's estate sold the property to Texas businessman and politician Don Huffines.
A spokesperson for Huffines said the owners had not been approached by law enforcement seeking access to the ranch but would "grant full and complete cooperation" if asked. In a social media post on Monday, Huffines said he planned to turn the ranch into a Christian retreat.
The New Mexico Department of Justice also disclosed it is investigating an allegation that surfaced in the Justice Department's document release, which alleges Epstein ordered the burial of the bodies of two foreign girls on hills outside Zorro Ranch. The statement did not provide further detail about the allegation or potential investigative leads tied to it.
The reopening of the criminal case adds a state-level investigative dimension that will run parallel to the legislature's review and the public release of federal documents. State officials have signaled an intent to obtain unredacted federal records and to preserve evidence that remains accessible as they pursue the probe.
Context and Next Steps
State prosecutors will coordinate with the legislative committee while pursuing their independent criminal inquiry. The prosecutor-led probe emphasizes document access and evidence preservation, steps intended to ensure any remaining relevant material is secured for potential prosecutions or further legal action.
Officials have not indicated a timetable for completing the criminal investigation or for when the legislature's hearings will conclude. Federal agencies contacted for comment did not issue immediate responses.