New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice, seeking to compel the release of unredacted files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Torrez stated the documents are crucial for his office's ongoing investigation into alleged crimes at Epstein's former Zorro Ranch property in New Mexico.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., accuses the DOJ of "obstruction" and failing to cooperate with the state's investigation. According to the complaint, Torrez's office has requested the records ten times since launching its probe earlier this year but has not received the necessary information. Torrez told reporters that the DOJ is withholding critical information essential for delivering justice to victims and survivors.
Torrez's office claims that while Zorro Ranch appears approximately 13,000 times in the Epstein files, the DOJ has only provided about 31 pages of materials, primarily consisting of media clippings and past correspondence. The lawsuit asserts that the DOJ has adopted a policy to refuse sharing investigative information concerning Zorro Ranch and potential allegations of human trafficking and sexual abuse, thereby hampering the state's ability to investigate and prosecute these matters.
The DOJ, however, contends that the Epstein Files Transparency Act does not mandate the handover of all materials and that disclosure could risk victims' privacy. A DOJ spokesperson stated that the department remains committed to protecting victim privacy and is available to assist New Mexico's investigation in compliance with the law and court orders.
New Mexico authorities reopened their investigation into Zorro Ranch in February following concerns raised by documents within the Epstein files. The state's initial investigation had been halted at the request of federal prosecutors, who, according to DOJ emails, never searched the property. Torrez argues that New Mexico's probe into Zorro Ranch is currently the only active investigation in the United States concerning Epstein's associates.