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By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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New Mexico prosecutors have reopened a criminal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch, seeking “immediate access” to federal case files.
It comes as politician and businessman Don Huffines, the owner of the sprawling 75,000-acre-plus property, which has been renamed San Rafael Ranch and is set to be converted into a Christian retreat, said he would cooperate with authorities if asked.
“The owners have never been approached by local, state, or federal law enforcement requesting access to the San Rafael Ranch,” Allen Blakemore, a spokesman for Huffines, told Newsweek in an emailed statement. “If, and when they do, of course they will be grated full and complete cooperation.”
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Newsweek has contacted the New Mexico Department of Justice and the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office via email, and the U.S. Department of Justice, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, via phone call for comment.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office told Newsweek via email: “We have no comment at this time.”
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Why It Matters
For years, Epstein’s New Mexico ranch sat on the margins of the national story despite repeated allegations tied to the site.
Lawmakers say establishing what happened there is critical not only for victims but for public trust in the justice system.
What To Know
The New Mexico Department of Justice said Attorney General Raúl Torrez has ordered the criminal investigation into alleged illegal activity at the ranch to be reopened after reviewing information recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice, including previously sealed FBI files.
In a statement, the department said special agents and prosecutors will seek “immediate access” to the complete, unredacted federal case file and intend to work collaboratively with law enforcement partners and the bipartisan Epstein Truth Commission established by the state Legislature.
Investigators will also move to collect and preserve any relevant evidence that remains available.
The announcement marks a significant escalation in the Legislature’s fact‑finding effort.
State officials confirmed that the earlier New Mexico investigation was closed in 2019 at the request of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, which told state authorities to stand down while federal prosecutors pursued a broader case.
In an interview with Newsweek before the announcement, Democratic state Representative Andrea Romero, who sponsored the Truth Commission legislation, said one of the most striking gaps was the absence of any official examination of the property.
“Nobody has ever visited the ranch in any official capacity to obtain information or cover what even the lay of the land is,” Romero said, describing basic unanswered questions about how the site was used and who may have known what was happening there.
Romero said the commission was designed to build a public record after decades of allegations, particularly from victims who say abuse and trafficking occurred at the remote property outside Santa Fe.
“This is such a critical story of wealth and power being able to corrupt our systems of justice and our rule of law,” she said. “No stone will be left unturned.”
While the panel cannot bring charges, she said its findings could be used by law enforcement and lawmakers reviewing whether changes to state law—including statutes of limitation—are needed to allow survivors to seek justice.
Ownership of the ranch changed hands years after Epstein’s death. A spokesman for Huffines, the property’s current owner, a self-described Trump Republican who is running for office in Texas, told Newsweek that the former GOP state senator purchased the property four years after Epstein died and had never visited it prior to its auction listing.
What People Are Saying
New Mexico state Representative Andrea Romero, a Democrat, told Newsweek: “We are working already with our new New Mexico Department of Justice and our Attorney General. “At present, we are working in tandem, both to make sure that we're not duplicating effort or going after the same information. They're our first line of information when it comes to anything that we're uncovering that may be a crime.
“We're going to name all the names. We need to make sure that the record is clear; if folks were perpetrators, they will be put on the record and held to account to the full extent of the law.”
Lauren Rodriguez, New Mexico Department of Justice chief of staff, told Newsweek in an emailed statement: “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.
"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.”
Allen Blakemore, a spokesman for Huffines, told Newsweek in an emailed statement: "Four years after Mr. Epstein’s death, the Huffines family purchased property in New Mexico listed at public auction whose proceeds benefited his victims. Prior to the auction listing, they had never visited the property. "The owners have never been approached by local, state, or federal law enforcement requesting access to the San Rafael Ranch. If, they do, of course they will be granted full and complete cooperation."
Don Huffines, on X: "In 2023, four years after Epstein’s death, San Rafael Ranch had been listed on the open market for years and was scheduled for public auction.
"At the time of the sale, it was marketed that the proceeds would go to the victims. It has since been confirmed by the estate’s attorneys that proceeds from the sale benefited the victims.
"What the enemy once meant for evil, God can redeem for good. That’s why we renamed the property San Rafael, after the saint associated with physical and spiritual healing, and began plans immediately to remake it as a Christian retreat, reclaiming it for Jesus. Even the new entrance will reflect that mission and will read, ‘BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO COME IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.’
"By 2024, my family’s ownership was public and had been posted on social media.
"We have always maintained an open line of communication with local authorities. No law enforcement agency has ever approached me to request access, and I have always said unequivocally that any such request would be met with immediate access and full cooperation.
"This is what desperate political opponents do: last-minute lies and dirty tricks."
What Happens Next
State prosecutors say they are moving quickly to review federal case materials and coordinate with law enforcement partners and the Truth Commission.
The legislative panel is expected to continue its work in parallel, gathering testimony and documents as the reopened criminal investigation proceeds.
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