New Mexico Searches Epstein's Zorro Ranch as Sealed FBI Files Prompt Criminal Probe Reopening

New Mexico prosecutors and law enforcement descended Monday on Zorro Ranch, the sprawling property near Stanley that Jeffrey Epstein purchased from a sitting governor three decades ago, executing a search as part of a criminal investigation that state authorities reopened after reviewing previously sealed FBI files.

Attorney General Raúl Torrez directed the search, which drew assistance from the New Mexico State Police, the Sandoval County Sheriff's Office, and a Sandoval County Fire and Rescue K-9 team. The operation targeted a property that, until recently, had escaped the level of scrutiny applied to Epstein's other holdings in New York, South Florida, and the Caribbean.

"At the direction of Attorney General Torrez, the New Mexico Department of Justice initiated a search this morning of the Zorro Ranch property previously owned by Jeffrey Epstein," the department said in a statement. "This search is part of the criminal investigation announced by the New Mexico Department of Justice on February 19th into allegations of illegal activity at Epstein's ranch prior to Epstein's 2019 death."

The February 19 reopening followed a review of material released by the U.S. Department of Justice. "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," the department stated. "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."

That 2019 closure has long been a point of contention. Former New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas had investigated Epstein's activities at the ranch alongside those of his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell before federal officials asked his office to shelve the inquiry.

At least two women have made allegations of sexual misconduct at the property. A woman identified as Jane Doe 15 said she was raped at the ranch when she was 15 years old. Annie Farmer said Maxwell fondled her breasts at the ranch when she was a teenager.

Epstein purchased Zorro Ranch in 1993 from then-Governor Bruce King. He built a hilltop mansion and a private runway on the acreage approximately 30 miles south of Santa Fe, and was known to host prominent guests there. After his death in 2019, his estate sold the property in 2023, with proceeds directed toward creditors. The new owners cooperated with Monday's search, granting investigators access to the grounds.

The department noted it had no information to share about what, if anything, was found during the search or how long the operation was expected to continue. Authorities urged the public to stay away from the area and to ground any drone activity to avoid interfering with the ongoing law enforcement operation.

The search took place against a backdrop of renewed public pressure. Protesters gathered at the ranch's gates the previous weekend to demand justice for Epstein's victims, and Women's March organized a rally Sunday outside the property.

"The New Mexico Department of Justice will continue to keep the public appropriately informed, support the survivors, and follow the facts wherever they lead," the department said.