"He was basically doing anything he wanted in this state without any accountability whatsoever," said New Mexico state Representative Andrea Romero, a Democrat, who co-sponsored the initiative. Victim advocates applauded the move, saying Zorro Ranch had been overlooked by federal investigations that focused on Epstein's Caribbean island and New York townhouse. Epstein operated at the ranch for decadesSeveral civil suits accuse Epstein of sexually assaulting girls at Zorro Ranch. Epstein bought the ranch in 1993 from Bruce King, a three-time New Mexico Democratic governor who died in 2009. Huffines is prepared to cooperate with any law enforcement investigation of the ranch, the newspaper reported on Monday, citing his spokesperson.

Source: The Telegraph February 17, 2026 06:12 UTC