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By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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President Donald Trump's Justice Department (DOJ) told officials in New Mexico to halt a 2019 investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s former ranch, a senior Republican lawmaker said this week, raising fresh questions as the site is searched again.
Newsweek contacted the DOJ via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Allegations tied to Epstein’s New Mexico property have lingered for years without a full public accounting.
Read More on News
A recent search by local authorities and political scrutiny have reopened questions about why earlier inquiries were stopped and what that meant for survivors.
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What To Know
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, said federal officials under Trump asked New Mexico authorities to stand down from a 2019 probe into a ranch once owned by Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in federal custody that year.
Speaking to host Jesse Watters during a Fox News appearance following renewed law enforcement activity at the property, Comer said New Mexico had been investigating the ranch in 2019 when “the federal government asked New Mexico to stop their investigation,” adding that the DOJ later took over the matter.
“There are so many questions about how the government failed in trying to prosecute Epstein sooner…this whole thing does not make sense,” he said. “Everyone has conspiracy theories on how Epstein was able to get away with it. Was it because he had powerful friends? Was it because he was an agent? We do not know. But we are going to find out.”
He suggested that the Southern District of New York may have assumed control at the time, though he said key questions remain unanswered about what followed.
"I am glad that New Mexico authorities are going there and searching that property," he added. "If no one goes and searches that property whenever this investigation is finally concluded, people are always going to have questions about whether or not there were deaths there, whether or not there were mysterious surgeries that happened on the ranch."
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The vast 7,500-acre-plus estate, long known as Zorro Ranch and now called San Rafael Ranch, has been cited by several Epstein victims who have said they were trafficked or abused there, according to public court records.
While Epstein’s homes in New York, Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands were searched during earlier federal investigations, the New Mexico property was not, according to state officials and previously released federal correspondence.
Comer’s comments echoed concerns raised by New Mexico state Representative Andrea Romero, a Democrat who previously told Newsweek that state authorities were effectively blocked from pursuing leads tied to the ranch in 2019. Romero is among the lawmakers behind New Mexico’s nonpartisan Truth Commission, which aims to establish an official public record of alleged abuse tied to the ranch.
In a recent interview with Newsweek, she said New Mexico was told to “stand down,” and no charges were ever brought related to alleged crimes in the state, leaving survivors without answers and without a clear record of what federal investigators examined.
“That’s what it feels like right now,” Romero said when asked whether the decision denied victims a chance at justice, adding that people who reported harm in New Mexico “never did get their justice” there.
Renewed scrutiny has followed the New Mexico Department of Justice’s decision to reopen a criminal investigation into alleged illegal activity at the ranch. State investigators, assisted by New Mexico State Police and the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, searched the property this week as part of that probe, according to a department statement.
Romero, who chairs New Mexico’s Truth Commission, said the reopening of the investigation offers what she described as a “glimmer of hope” for survivors who testified years ago and were told nothing more could be done. She also warned that the passage of time and ongoing construction at the ranch could complicate efforts to preserve evidence.
In a statement released after the search, members of the Truth Commission said the action marked a long-delayed step toward accountability. The commission was created by the New Mexico House of Representatives to establish a public record of alleged activity at the ranch, review how prior investigations were handled, and examine whether changes to state law are warranted.
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What People Are Saying
San Rafael Ranch LLC told Newsweek in a statement provided by an attorney for the ranch: "San Rafael Ranch thanks the New Mexico Department of Justice for taking a welcome step toward truth and justice.
“While political opponents and internet trolls have attempted to manufacture a smear campaign for their own monetary and political gain, the owners of San Rafael Ranch have been fully cooperating with the New Mexico DOJ’s investigation into any possible wrongdoing by the property’s former owner. For any questions regarding the investigation, please contact the New Mexico DOJ."
A statement from the New Mexico Truth Commission: "The Truth Commission welcomes action by the New Mexico Department of Justice and commends Attorney General Torrez for taking long-overdue steps to investigate the former Zorro Ranch.
"What should have been done years ago is now underway, and we are grateful that the people of New Mexico—and survivors everywhere—are finally being heard."
The New Mexico DOJ, in a statement: "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. 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."
What Happens Next
State prosecutors have said the search is part of a broader criminal investigation announced in February and that officials will not speculate on potential findings while work is ongoing.
Romero told Newsweek that any evidence uncovered that could still be prosecuted would be referred directly to the New Mexico Department of Justice, while older allegations that fall outside criminal statutes could be examined by the Truth Commission to create a public record.
The New Mexico DOJ said it “will continue to keep the public appropriately informed, support the survivors, and follow the facts wherever they lead.” It has also asked members of the public with credible information about events tied to New Mexico to submit tips to investigators, as the reopened probe and parallel legislative inquiry move forward.
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