New Mexico’s attorney general has announced the reopening of an investigation into alleged illegal activities at Jeffrey Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch. The decision comes after reviewing information released by the U.S. Department of Justice. Although the initial case was closed in 2019 at the request of federal prosecutors in New York, state prosecutors believe that new revelations warrant further examination.
The New Mexico Department of Justice is seeking immediate access to the complete federal case file and plans to work with other law enforcement agencies and a truth commission established by state lawmakers to investigate activities at the ranch.
While Epstein was never charged in New Mexico, state prosecutors confirmed in 2019 that they had interviewed possible victims who visited the ranch. The reasons for closing the investigation in 2019 and the specific allegations prompting its reopening were not immediately disclosed.
The bipartisan truth commission in New Mexico is investigating allegations of sexual abuse and sex trafficking at the ranch. Lawmakers are also questioning why Epstein was not registered as a sex offender after pleading guilty in 2008 and whether there was corruption among public officials.
The property, which Epstein purchased in 1993, has been renamed San Rafael Ranch and sold to the family of a Republican politician. The new owners have committed to operating a Christian retreat on the property.
Former guests at the ranch included notable figures like Bill Richardson, Woody Allen, and Robert Redford. New Mexico Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard revoked grazing leases held by the ranch in 2019.
The ranch has been mentioned numerous times in documents released by federal authorities. Following Epstein’s death, a woman known as Jane Doe alleged that he molested her at the ranch in 2004 when she was 15.
The investigation into the ranch’s activities continues, with calls for a thorough criminal investigation from state officials. The truth commission and state prosecutors are working to uncover the truth about what happened at Epstein’s ranch.
For assistance, individuals can visit RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s website.
