On Monday, the New Mexico Department of Justice revealed that it had conducted a search at Zorro Ranch, a property once belonging to the late Jeffrey Epstein.
The search was carried out under the guidance of Attorney General Torrez, with support from the New Mexico State Police and the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, as stated in the department’s announcement.
This action is a significant part of the criminal investigation that the Justice Department had initiated on February 19th. The probe focuses on allegations of unlawful activities at Epstein’s ranch before his death in 2019. The department expressed gratitude to the current property owners for allowing access and commended the ranch staff for their professionalism during the operation.
A photograph from 2019 shows Jeffrey Epstein following the federal charges of trafficking filed against him. (Image courtesy of Kypros/Getty Images)
The department has asked the public to refrain from visiting the area and to cease any drone operations that could disrupt the ongoing investigation. They assured that they would continue to update the public as necessary, offer support to survivors, and pursue the investigation wherever the evidence may lead.
It is worth noting that authorities have stated Epstein died by suicide while in custody in Manhattan in 2019.
In an aerial view, Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch is shown on March 8, 2026, outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico. (Roberto E. Rosales/Getty Images)
The property was sold by Epstein’s estate in 2023 — with proceeds going toward creditors — to the family of Don Huffines, a candidate in Texas for state comptroller who won the Republican primary last week.
Last month, the New Mexico Department of Justice noted that the state attorney general had ordered the reopening of a criminal probe.
“Upon reviewing information recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice, Attorney General Raúl Torrez has ordered that the criminal investigation into allegations of illegal activity at Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch be reopened. Although the State of New Mexico’s prior investigation was closed in 2019 at the request of the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, revelations outlined in the previously sealed FBI files warrant further examination,” the department noted in the February statement.
Attorney General of New Mexico Raúl Torrez speaks during a rally organized by Accountable Tech and Design It For Us to hold tech and social media companies accountable for taking steps to protect kids and teens online on Jan. 31, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Accountable Tech)
“Special agents and prosecutors at the New Mexico Department of Justice will be seeking immediate access to the complete, unredacted federal case file and intend to work collaboratively with our law enforcement partners as well as the Epstein Truth Commission recently established by the New Mexico Legislature. 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. We are moving quickly and deliberately on this issue and will provide updates as appropriate,” the statement added.
