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A bipartisan committee, consisting of four state House representatives, is delving into claims that a ranch may have been involved in sexual abuse and trafficking activities.
New Mexico legislators are also questioning why Jeffrey Epstein wasn’t registered as a sex offender following his 2008 guilty plea for soliciting prostitution from a minor. They aim to uncover whether there was any corruption involving public officials.
During a press conference today, Democratic Representative Marianna Anaya from Albuquerque, who is part of the investigative commission, encouraged individuals to share any information about abuse at the ranch connected to Epstein and his associates.
“The perpetrator could not have operated alone. Running a sex ring or committing financial crimes necessitates accomplices. As a commission, we recognize that those who enabled these acts must be held responsible, potentially including state entities,” Anaya stated.
“We invite anyone willing to share their story to come forward, assured that confidentiality will be maintained,” she added.
Revelations of ties to Epstein have led to the departure or ousting of multiple high-profile people in recent days.
Epstein purchased the sprawling Zorro Ranch in New Mexico in 1993 from former Democratic Governor Bruce King and built a 2480-square-metre hilltop mansion with a private runway.
The property was sold by Epstein’s estate in 2023 — with proceeds going to creditors — to the family of Don Huffines, a Republican candidate in Texas for statewide election to the office of 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.
Huffines said any request by law enforcement for access would be met with immediate and full cooperation.
Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial in 2019 on charges that he sexually abused and trafficked dozens of underage girls.
Truth commission chairwoman and state Representative Andrea Romero of Santa Fe has said that several survivors of Epstein’s abuse have signalled that sex trafficking activity extended to the ranch, which is about 56 kilometres south of Santa Fe.
“We’ve heard years of allegations and rumours about Epstein’s activities here. But unfortunately, federal investigations have failed to put together an official record,” Romero said today.
“This truth commission will finally fill in the gaps of what we need to know.”
Commission members also include retired FBI agent and Republican state Representative William Hall of Aztec and former district attorney and Representative Andrea Reeb of Clovis.
State House legislators who were present voted unanimously on Monday to create the commission with subpoena power and a budget of over $2 million ($AUD2.8 million)
While Epstein never faced charges in New Mexico, the state attorney general’s office in 2019 confirmed that it was investigating and had interviewed possible victims who visited the ranch.
In 2023, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez ordered an investigation into financial businesses utilised by Epstein and their legal obligations, resulting in agreements with two banks that dedicate $23.9 million to the prevention of human trafficking, according to a spokesperson for Torrez’s office.
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