New Mexico’s attorney general has sued the U.S. Department of Justice, accusing federal officials of obstructing the state’s criminal investigation into sex crimes alleged to have occurred at Jeffrey Epstein’s former ranch near Santa Fe.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington D.C., asserts that the Justice Department and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche have stonewalled state investigators, actions the state contends harm victims and undermine the public interest. New Mexico is seeking judicial intervention to compel the federal government to release materials relevant to the investigation.
This legal action comes as a report from the New Mexico House of Representatives stated that “those directly responsible for protecting New Mexicans relied on others to do their job,” including federal prosecutors in New York. Epstein died by suicide in a New York federal jail in August 2019, awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
His former associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, is serving a 20-year sentence following her 2021 conviction on sex trafficking charges. Witness testimony during Maxwell’s trial alleged that both she and Epstein sexually abused women at the New Mexico ranch.
According to New Mexico’s lawsuit, state prosecutors have encountered “sustained resistance” in sharing information that is typically common between state and federal law enforcement agencies. The Justice Department, in a statement, indicated that it is withholding certain information due to federal court orders prohibiting the disclosure of victim-identifying details. The department stated, “New Mexico has provided no lawful basis to justify such sweeping disclosures,” and affirmed its commitment to assisting the investigation “consistent with the law and binding court orders.”
The lawsuit claims that the Justice Department and Blanche are withholding information about Epstein and his alleged co-conspirators, potentially hindering New Mexico's ability to hold associates accountable and provide justice to survivors. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez stated that his office made 10 requests for crucial information that were either ignored or denied.
“We have heard repeatedly they will cooperate and what our team has experienced is anything but cooperation,” Torrez said in a video call with reporters. “Todd Blanche today with a stroke of a pen could grant us the access that he claimed. Instead they have decided to stonewall, to obstruct and to frankly conceal for whatever reason.”
An interim report from the New Mexico Survivors’ Truth Commission also pointed to federal prosecutors in Manhattan, suggesting a lack of information regarding Epstein’s activities in New Mexico. The commission, established by state lawmakers, indicated that federal officials prioritized Epstein’s alleged offenses in New York, Florida, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, leaving his New Mexico activities seemingly unexamined.
However, the commission’s report did cite evidence gathered by federal prosecutors in New York, including accounts from women alleging sexual abuse by Epstein at his Zorro Ranch. During Maxwell’s trial, Annie Farmer testified about being sexually abused by Epstein at the ranch when she was 16.
Rachel Benavidez, who spoke at a commission meeting, alleged that Epstein sexually abused her at Zorro Ranch and that his powerful connections allowed him to operate “unchecked” in New Mexico. She urged the commission to question individuals who may have aided Epstein in evading accountability in the state.
Epstein purchased the New Mexico property in 1993. The ranch was sold by his estate in 2023 and has since been renamed San Rafael Ranch by its new owners, who plan to operate a Christian retreat.
The Justice Department began releasing investigative records related to Epstein and Maxwell in December, following the Epstein Files Transparency Act. However, accusers and members of Congress have previously raised concerns about the quality of redactions and the extent of sealed materials in those released documents, noting that many were heavily blacked out or lacked necessary context.