entity

Hector Balderas

Facts (21)

Sources

new Epstein files shed light on his sprawling ranch outside Santa Fe theguardian.com The Guardian Feb 9, 2026 9 facts

claimIn July 2019, after Jeffrey Epstein was charged with sex-trafficking crimes in New York, Hector Balderas, the New Mexico attorney general, opened an investigation into Epstein's ranch.

claimHector Balderas, the New Mexico attorney general at the time of Jeffrey Epstein's 2019 arrest, stated that his office investigated activity in New Mexico that was viable for prosecution, including contact with multiple victims.

claimHector Balderas stated that US attorneys in New York handling the federal investigation requested that the New Mexico attorney general's office hold any further state investigation or prosecution related to Jeffrey Epstein, citing an active multi-jurisdictional prosecution.

claimNew Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas opened an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's ranch in July 2019, and Commissioner of Public Land Stephanie Garcia Richard provided approximately 400 pages of lease documents to the Attorney General and began reviewing two state grazing leases.

claimNew Mexico Commissioner of Public Land Stephanie Garcia Richard provided approximately 400 pages of lease documents to Hector Balderas and reviewed Jeffrey Epstein's two state grazing leases in July 2019.

accountHector Balderas, the New Mexico attorney general at the time of Jeffrey Epstein's 2019 arrest, stated that his office investigated activity in New Mexico that was viable for prosecution, but federal prosecutors in New York requested that he pause the state investigation because they were leading a multi-jurisdictional prosecution.

claimIn July 2019, Stephanie Garcia Richard, the New Mexico commissioner of public land, provided approximately 400 pages of lease documents to Hector Balderas and began reviewing Jeffrey Epstein’s two state grazing leases.

claimNew Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas opened an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's ranch in July 2019.

The Secrets of Zorro Ranch: Jeffrey Epstein's ties to New Mexico koat.com KOAT 6 days ago 5 facts

claimHector Balderas stated that New Mexico state investigators never searched Zorro Ranch.

quoteHector Balderas stated: "It would have been much easier to take that property, they take property away from a tax evader. You see it all the time. They take boats, the cars, the jewelry. It's still strange and worthy of criticism that they should have probably seized that ranch in 2019."

claimHector Balderas believes Jeffrey Epstein was aware of New Mexico's legal shortcomings, which Balderas refers to as "black holes."

claimHector Balderas described New Mexico as having historically been a "dumping ground" and a place where the state has done a "horrible job" at addressing areas of risk.

claimFormer New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas stated that the failure of federal authorities to seize Zorro Ranch hampered his ability to secure indictments for crimes committed in New Mexico.

How Epstein lured girls to his Zorro Ranch and kept authorities away nbcnews.com NBC News Mar 14, 2026 5 facts

accountHector Balderas, former New Mexico Attorney General, stated that his office built a promising case regarding Jeffrey Epstein by speaking to victims and obtaining corroborating records.

claimIn July 2020, the office of New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas sent a follow-up letter to federal authorities requesting the seizure of the Zorro Ranch so that proceeds could be used to assist Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, but received no reply.

quoteHector Balderas stated: "We had taken statements involving child sex trafficking and we had obtained corroborating records that confirmed an illicit enterprise."

claimHector Balderas left office in 2022 without bringing a case against anyone at the Zorro Ranch, blaming federal prosecutors for gutting the ability of his office to seek justice for victims.

claimThe investigation into Jeffrey Epstein led by Hector Balderas spanned multiple states and identified potential suspects in addition to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

New Investigation Launched into Epstein's Zorro Ranch ... - TIME time.com TIME Feb 17, 2026 1 fact

accountA 2019 effort to investigate Zorro Ranch by former New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas was halted at the request of federal prosecutors to avoid a 'parallel investigation.'

NM Department of Justice, police search former Zorro Ranch owned ... sourcenm.com Source NM Mar 9, 2026 1 fact

claimFormer New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas stated that his office previously investigated the actions of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at Zorro Ranch before federal officials requested that he shelve the inquiry.