New Mexico Launches Investigation into Epstein's Desert Property
New Mexico state legislators are pushing for a comprehensive investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's secluded Zorro Ranch, proposing a $2.5 million truth commission to uncover the full extent of activities that occurred at the remote desert property. Two state lawmakers from both major parties are championing the initiative to expose what really happened at the ranch and implement safeguards against future sex trafficking.
Bipartisan Support for Uncovering the Truth
Democratic state Representative Andrea Romero of Santa Fe revealed that multiple survivors of Epstein's abuse have indicated that sex trafficking operations extended to the Zorro Ranch property. The sprawling estate features a hilltop mansion and private runway located approximately 35 miles south of Santa Fe.
"This commission will specifically seek the truth about what officials knew, how crimes were unreported or reported, and how the state can ensure that this essentially never happens again," Romero told legislators during a Thursday panel discussion. She emphasized that "there's no complete record of what occurred" at the property.
The proposed investigation would place New Mexico within the international web of probes examining Epstein's connections, which has already created ripples through the U.S. Congress and led to significant royal consequences abroad.
Epstein's New Mexico History and Property Details
Jeffrey Epstein purchased the Zorro Ranch in 1993 from former Democratic Governor Bruce King, constructing a massive 26,700-square-foot mansion on the property. The estate was ultimately sold by Epstein's estate in 2023, with proceeds directed to creditors.
Although Epstein never faced criminal charges in New Mexico, the state attorney general's office confirmed in 2019 that it had opened an investigation and interviewed potential victims who had visited the ranch. More recently, in 2023, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez ordered an examination of financial businesses used by Epstein and their legal obligations.
That financial investigation resulted in agreements with two banks that dedicated $17 million to human trafficking prevention efforts, according to agency spokesperson Lauren Rodriguez.
Legislative Concerns and Historical Context
During Thursday's legislative session, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers expressed cautious support for the new probe. A significant concern emerged regarding New Mexico laws that allegedly allowed Epstein to avoid registering locally as a sex offender long after Florida required his registration.
Epstein's criminal history includes his 2008 guilty plea in Florida to state charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution. That controversial agreement mandated 13 months in jail and sex offender registration, while secretly terminating a federal sex abuse investigation involving at least 40 teenage girls.
Republican Representative Andrea Reeb, a former district attorney from Clovis, voiced support for the initiative, stating "I do feel like this is a unique opportunity to help victims. I do believe New Mexicans do have a right to know what happened at this ranch."
However, the proposal faced questions from Republican Representative Stafani Lord of Sandia Park, who demanded "Why now? Why not a long time ago?" Lord expressed personal distress, noting that "Every time I ride my motorcycle past there (Zorro Ranch), I get sick to my stomach."
The investigative timeline extends at least two years into the future. To proceed, the truth commission must first gain approval from the state House when the Legislature convenes in January, which would create a bipartisan oversight committee comprising four legislators.
Epstein's story reached its conclusion when he died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sexually abusing and trafficking dozens of underage girls. This case emerged more than a decade after he secretly negotiated a deal with federal prosecutors in Florida to resolve nearly identical allegations, where he was accused of paying underage girls hundreds of dollars in cash for massages and subsequently molesting them.
