New Mexico reopens criminal inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch

February 20, 2026

New Mexico authorities are reopening their criminal investigation into Zorro Ranch, a property formerly owned by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after disturbing allegations emerged from recently released Justice Department documents. State prosecutors are requesting complete access to unredacted federal files and collaborating with a newly established bipartisan truth commission to examine claims that the remote desert property may have been used for sexual abuse and sex trafficking. The original state investigation was suspended in 2019 at the request of federal prosecutors in New York, and Epstein never faced charges in New Mexico despite multiple women alleging abuse at the ranch.

Who is affected

Possible victims who visited Zorro Ranch and were allegedly recruited and abused by Jeffrey Epstein
Women who previously alleged abuse at the property
Two foreign girls allegedly killed and buried at the ranch (according to an unverified 2019 email)
State of New Mexico and its residents
Former property owner Don Huffines (current owner, former Texas state senator)
Epstein's victims awaiting proceeds from the property sale

What action is being taken

State prosecutors are seeking full access to unredacted Epstein files from federal investigators in Washington DC
The state Attorney General's office is conducting a "broad and comprehensive" investigation of Zorro Ranch
A bipartisan four-member truth commission is investigating allegations of sexual abuse and sex trafficking at the ranch
State authorities are investigating a 2019 email alleging bodies were buried at the property
US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is seeking an unredacted copy of the anonymous email

Why it matters

This investigation matters because it addresses serious allegations of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and potentially murder at a property that may have been central to Epstein's criminal operation. The isolated location and scale of the ranch, combined with thousands of references in recently released Justice Department documents, suggest it played a significant role in Epstein's activities. The reopening of the investigation also raises questions about why Epstein never faced charges in New Mexico and why he failed to register as a sex offender in the state after his 2008 conviction, pointing to potential failures in the justice system that allowed his crimes to continue.

What's next

State prosecutors will work with the Epstein truth commission established by state legislators
The commission plans to investigate why Epstein did not register as a sex offender in New Mexico after his 2008 guilty plea
The commission intends to examine reports allegedly made to the FBI in 2019 or earlier regarding bodies being buried and people being trafficked at the ranch
Authorities will continue investigating the 2019 email allegation about buried bodies

Read full article from source: BBC