Suspected Tren de Aragua member sentenced to 19 months in federal prison on gun, evidence tampering charges
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) -- A Venezuelan national and suspected member of the Tren de Aragua criminal organization has been sentenced to 19 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing firearms and conspiring to tamper with evidence in a case tied to a former Doña Ana County magistrate judge's family.
Federal court records show Cristhian Adrian Ortega Lopez, 23, was sentenced June 30 in U.S. District Court in New Mexico to 19 months in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He also received one year of unsupervised release after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by an undocumented immigrant and conspiracy to tamper with evidence. The sentences will run concurrently. The court also recommended that Immigration and Customs Enforcement begin removal proceedings while Ortega Lopez serves his sentence.
According to court documents, Ortega Lopez illegally entered the United States on Dec. 15, 2023, and was released pending removal proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations later received an anonymous tip alleging he was living in Las Cruces and possessed firearms.
Federal prosecutors previously alleged Ortega Lopez posted photos and videos on Facebook and TikTok showing himself handling and firing multiple firearms at a Las Cruces shooting range and other locations. Investigators said he was also photographed at the home of April Cano, a social media influencer and gun enthusiast, while holding a rifle and wearing tactical gear. Prosecutors said Ortega Lopez referred to April Cano's parents, former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Jose "Joel" Cano and Nancy Cano, as "Patron" and "Patrona" in social media videos and told an informant he received a firearm from the Cano family as a Christmas gift.
Search warrants executed in February 2025 led investigators to seize four firearms from April Cano's residence. During a post-Miranda interview, Ortega Lopez admitted he recognized the firearms and knew it was illegal for him to possess them, according to prosecutors. Investigators also alleged he conspired with another person to delete his Facebook account in an effort to prevent its contents from being used as evidence.
According to the criminal complaint, investigators also cited social media images and videos showing Ortega Lopez with firearms, including an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun, and said visual indicators found in his social media content were consistent with alleged Tren de Aragua affiliation. The complaint states that Ortega Lopez admitted to illegally entering the United States by climbing over a barbed wire fence in Texas and acknowledged handling and shooting firearms belonging to an acquaintance while living in Las Cruces.
As part of his sentence, Ortega Lopez must comply with all Immigration and Customs Enforcement laws, may not reenter the United States without legal authorization if deported, and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. The court waived the special assessment normally imposed in the case.
The case remains connected to a broader federal investigation involving Nancy Cano and Jose Cano. Federal prosecutors previously announced that Nancy Cano was indicted on a charge of conspiracy to tamper with evidence, while Jose Cano was indicted on charges of conspiracy to tamper with evidence and tampering with evidence. Both remain released pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled.
