New Mexico has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) seeking access to unredacted records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The state alleges the DOJ is withholding documents that could assist its ongoing investigation into Epstein’s alleged criminal activities at Zorro Ranch, a remote property outside Santa Fe.

The 40-page complaint names acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and accuses the DOJ of "stonewalling" the state’s probe. The ranch is reportedly referenced thousands of times in Epstein files, with survivors claiming they were trafficked and abused there.

Lawyers representing New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez (D) stated, "USDOJ and Acting Attorney General Blanche are refusing to facilitate the investigation of state law crimes by hiding information about Epstein and his co-conspirators from Attorney General Torrez and state law enforcement, when New Mexico is one of few jurisdictions that still may have an opportunity to hold Epstein’s associates accountable or otherwise provide some sense of justice to survivors."

Torrez is asking a federal judge in the District of Columbia to declare the DOJ’s actions unlawful and to grant his office access to full, unredacted investigative files. Among the withheld documents is a 2019 email from an anonymous sender alleging that two girls were buried in the hills near Zorro Ranch. This email was reportedly sent to a New Mexico radio host months after Epstein died by suicide while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

New Mexico reopened its investigation into Zorro Ranch in February 2026, and authorities subsequently searched the property. Officials have made multiple attempts to obtain information from the DOJ to identify witnesses, corroborate evidence, and understand the full extent of Epstein’s activities in the state.

Torrez emphasized, "New Mexico has a duty to protect survivors and investigate crimes committed in our state so that perpetrators can be held accountable," highlighting the need for federal cooperation.

The complaint also notes, "New Mexico had no reason in 2019 to believe federal law enforcement officials would breach their express assurances and deviate from historical practice just to block their state counterparts from successfully investigating child sexual abuse under state law."

Additionally, a bipartisan special committee of New Mexico state lawmakers announced its first round of subpoenas earlier in August 2026 as part of its own investigation into alleged illegal activity at Zorro Ranch.

Sources