Feds asked New Mexico to halt its Epstein probe

Federal prosecutors in 2019 asked New Mexico officials to halt their investigation into sex trafficking activities at Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch, agreeing to share information that potentially could have led to criminal charges here.

New Mexico lived up to its end of the agreement, ending its investigation and providing police reports, recorded witness interviews and other investigative records to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, former Attorney General Hector Balderas said last week.

Balderas, who served as attorney general from 2014 to 2022, said he is unaware that federal investigators provided any information to New Mexico officials that could have led to criminal prosecutions here.

Cooperation between the two agencies "was a one-way relationship," he said.

Records released in January by the U.S. Department of Justice related to the Epstein investigation, including letters and emails between Balderas' office and federal prosecutors, shed light on New Mexico's decision to scrap its investigation.