The New Mexico Department of Justice on Monday announced a search of Zorro Ranch, a property once owned by Jeffrey Epstein.
“At the direction of Attorney General Torrez, the New Mexico Department of Justice initiated a search this morning of the Zorro Ranch property previously owned by Jeffrey Epstein, with the New Mexico State Police and Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office providing assistance,” a department spokesperson noted in a statement on Monday.
“This search is part of the criminal investigation announced by the New Mexico Department of Justice on February 19th into allegations of illegal activity at Epstein’s ranch prior to Epstein’s 2019 death. The New Mexico Department of Justice appreciates the cooperation of the current property owners in granting access for the search and extends its thanks to the ranch staff for their professionalism,” the statement explained.
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“We urge the public to please stay away from the area and ground any drone activity nearby to avoid interfering with the ongoing law enforcement operation. The New Mexico Department of Justice will continue to keep the public appropriately informed, support the survivors, and follow the facts wherever they lead,” the statement added.
Authorities said Epstein died by suicide while incarcerated in Manhattan in 2019.
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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.
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“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.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
