The Epstein Truth Committee is wasting no time working toward its stated mission of investigating alleged corruption and criminal activity at the former Zorro Ranch in Southern Santa Fe County. The state House of Representatives voted to approve the committee Monday. On Tuesday morning committee members held a press call with U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury, a Democrat from Albuquerque, before convening for their first official meeting.
Convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein purchased Zorro Ranch in 1993. Stansbury said the ranch is the only Epstein property where there are known allegations of abuse that have not been investigated by the federal government.
"New Mexico is acting where the federal government is failing to do so," Stansbury said. "For many, many years, there were allegations of sexual assault and abuse that happened at Zorro ranch here in New Mexico... and those crimes were never fully investigated, neither by local authorities nor the FBI."
Committee Chair Andrea Romero, a Democrat from Santa Fe, said that despite owning the massive New Mexico ranch, Epstein was never required to register with the state's sex offender registry after his first conviction in 2008.
Last week, State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard urged the state and federal justice departments to investigate an anonymous claim that two girls were buried near the ranch years ago. Garcia Richard said that, to her knowledge, no agency has investigated that tip.
The Committee's first meeting went into more detail about how the committee will carry out its work. The Epstein Truth Committee has a two million dollar budget and will build a staff of legal experts and experienced investigators promptly after the session ends this week. Romero said the committee has the legal authority to issue subpoenas to persons of interest.
The committee will set up a website to make findings publicly available but said it will protect the identities of any victims who wish to remain anonymous.
In addition to Romero, the committee consists of Democrat Mariana Anaya of Albuquerque and Republicans William Hall of San Juan and Andrea Reeb of Chaves. Hall is a retired FBI agent and Reeb is a prosecutor with experience in sexual assault crimes.
Texas politician Don Huffines now owns the property, which he renamed San Rafael Ranch. Huffines announced Monday that he plans to turn the ranch into a Christian retreat center. He purchased the ranch with his family in 2023 under an anonymous LLC.
