SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A bipartisan group of New Mexico state lawmakers began a formal inquiry Tuesday into activities that occurred at convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s remote desert compound, questioning whether local officials failed to investigate potential crimes.
The four-member House panel will examine claims that the isolated property served as a location for sexual abuse and human trafficking. Legislators are also seeking answers about why Epstein failed to register as a sex offender following his 2008 guilty plea for soliciting an underage prostitute, and whether government corruption played a role.
At Tuesday’s press conference, Democratic Representative Marianna Anaya from Albuquerque, who serves on the truth commission, encouraged anyone with knowledge of abuse connected to Epstein’s ranch to step forward.
“That perpetrator could not act alone. They could not run a sex ring alone, they could not commit these types of financial crimes alone. So we know as a commission that enablers must also be held accountable, including the state itself, if needed,” said Anaya. “If you do want to share, we’ll be here and we will be operating with confidentiality.”
Recent connections to Epstein have resulted in several prominent figures losing their positions or being forced out.
The financier acquired the expansive Zorro Ranch property in 1993 from former Democratic Governor Bruce King, later constructing a massive 26,700-square-foot mansion on a hilltop complete with its own airstrip.
Following Epstein’s death, his estate sold the ranch in 2023 to cover debts, with the buyer being the family of Don Huffines, a Texas Republican running for state comptroller. Huffines announced on social media platform X that the property has been rechristened San Rafael Ranch, named for a healing saint, and will function as a Christian retreat center.
Huffines stated that his family would provide complete cooperation to any law enforcement requests for property access.
Epstein died by suicide in a New York City jail cell in 2019 while facing federal charges for sexually abusing and trafficking numerous minors.
Commission chair and Santa Fe Representative Andrea Romero indicated that multiple Epstein abuse survivors have suggested trafficking operations occurred at the ranch, located approximately 35 miles south of Santa Fe.
“We’ve heard years of allegations and rumors about Epstein’s activities here. But unfortunately, federal investigations have failed to put together an official record,” Romero stated Tuesday. “This truth commission will finally fill in the gaps of what we need to know.”
The commission roster also features retired FBI agent and Republican Representative William Hall from Aztec, along with former prosecutor and Representative Andrea Reeb from Clovis. State House members voted unanimously Monday to establish the commission with subpoena authority and more than $2 million in funding.
Although Epstein never faced criminal charges in New Mexico, the state attorney general’s office confirmed in 2019 that it was conducting an investigation and had spoken with potential victims who had visited the ranch.
In 2023, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez initiated an investigation into financial institutions used by Epstein and their legal responsibilities, leading to settlements with two banks that allocated $17 million toward human trafficking prevention efforts, according to a spokesperson for Torrez’s office.
