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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – In a significant development, New Mexico’s attorney general has decided to reignite the investigation into allegations of unlawful activities at Jeffrey Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch. This decision follows the release of new information by the U.S. Department of Justice.
On Thursday, Attorney General Raúl Torrez’s office made the announcement, highlighting that the move was driven by recent discoveries in previously sealed FBI files. These findings, the state prosecutors argue, necessitate a deeper dive into the case that was initially closed in 2019 at the behest of federal prosecutors in New York.
The New Mexico Department of Justice has outlined its plans to quickly secure access to the complete, unredacted federal case file. In pursuit of truth and justice, the agency aims to collaborate with other law enforcement bodies and a newly established truth commission. This commission, set up by state lawmakers, is dedicated to unearthing the activities that transpired at the infamous ranch.
“We are committed to following the facts wherever they may lead,” read a statement from the New Mexico Department of Justice. “Our approach will involve a meticulous evaluation of jurisdictional aspects and appropriate investigative measures. This includes gathering and preserving any relevant evidence that we can still access.”
“As with any potential criminal matter, we will follow the facts wherever they lead, carefully evaluate jurisdictional considerations, and take appropriate investigative action, including the collection and preservation of any relevant evidence that remains available,” the New Mexico Department of Justice said in a statement.
On Tuesday, New Mexico’s truth commission had its first meeting. The bipartisan, four-member panel of state House representatives is charged with investigating allegations that the ranch may have facilitated sexual abuse and sex trafficking.
New Mexico lawmakers also said they want to know why Epstein was not registered as a sex offender after pleading guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl and whether there was corruption among public officials.
Epstein purchased the sprawling Zorro Ranch in New Mexico in 1993 from former Democratic Gov. Bruce King and built a 26,700-square-foot (2,480-square-meter) hilltop mansion with a private runway.
The property was sold by Epstein’s estate in 2023 — with proceeds going toward creditors — to the family of Don Huffines, a Republican candidate in Texas for election to the office of state comptroller. In a social media post on X, Huffines said the property has been renamed San Rafael Ranch after a saint associated with healing and that his family plans to operate a Christian retreat there.
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