New Mexico law enforcement has launched a search of the Zorro Ranch, previously owned by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, state officials announced on Monday. The operation, led by the state department of justice with assistance from state police and the Sandoval County sheriff's office, was carried out at the direction of Attorney General Raúl Torrez.
The ranch, located near Santa Fe, was the site of numerous alleged abuses, according to civil and criminal proceedings, but had not faced the same level of scrutiny as Epstein's other properties. A Guardian investigation in February revealed that federal authorities apparently never searched the New Mexico ranch.
The search follows renewed attention on the property after the US Department of Justice disclosed roughly three million investigative documents related to Epstein. It comes weeks after Torrez announced the state would reopen its 2019 investigation into claims of illegal activity at the ranch, which had been put on hold at the request of federal prosecutors in New York.
New Mexico state legislators have established a bipartisan truth commission to examine the ranch. In a statement, the commission welcomed the justice department's action, saying it 'commends Attorney General Torrez for taking long-overdue steps to investigate the former Zorro Ranch.' The commission noted it is in 'active communication' with the justice department and will conduct its own independent investigation.
The property, currently owned by Texas businessman and Republican candidate Don Huffines, spans 10,000 acres. Survivors have detailed alleged abuses at the ranch, including visits from powerful men. Legal experts suggest the search, while delayed, could help corroborate survivor accounts, though forensic evidence may be limited.
