Tren de Aragua Gunman Ortega-Lopez Admits Illegal Firearm Possession

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, 23, a Venezuelan national with suspected ties to the notorious Tren de Aragua criminal organization, admitted guilt today to illegally possessing firearms and conspiring to destroy evidence. The case exposes a disturbing pattern of disregard for U.S. law and raises serious questions about the organization’s foothold in the American Southwest.

According to court documents, Ortega-Lopez illegally entered the United States on December 15, 2023, and was released pending removal proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received an anonymous tip in January 2025 that Ortega-Lopez was residing in Las Cruces and actively possessing firearms – a clear violation of federal law for those not legally authorized to own them. The tip proved chillingly accurate, with investigators uncovering a trove of social media posts showcasing Ortega-Lopez handling and firing weapons.

The evidence painted a disturbing picture. Ortega-Lopez brazenly posted photos and videos to Facebook and TikTok, displaying himself with various firearms at a Las Cruces shooting range and other locations. One particularly damning post, dated December 24, 2024, showed Ortega-Lopez at the residence of April Cano, a social media influencer and self-proclaimed gun enthusiast. He was pictured holding a rifle equipped with tactical gear, wearing a ballistic helmet with night vision goggles. In the videos, Ortega-Lopez referred to Cano’s parents, Nancy and Jose Cano, as “Patron” and “Patrona,” and admitted to an informant that the Cano family had gifted him a firearm for Christmas. He worked for the family in exchange for housing.

A February 28, 2025 search of April Cano’s residence yielded four firearms. During a post-Miranda interview, Ortega-Lopez confessed to recognizing all four weapons and acknowledging the illegality of his possession. The rabbit hole deepened when, on April 20, 2025, Ortega-Lopez conspired with an accomplice to delete his Facebook account, a desperate attempt to scrub evidence before trial. The Cano family actively facilitated Ortega-Lopez’s access to weapons and shooting range trips, adding another layer to the conspiracy.

Nancy and Jose Cano now face charges related to the evidence tampering. Nancy Cano is charged with conspiracy to tamper with evidence, while Jose Cano is charged with both conspiracy to tamper with evidence and tampering with evidence. Both remain on conditions of release pending a trial date that has yet to be set. Ortega-Lopez, having pleaded guilty to alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition and conspiracy to tamper with evidence, faces up to 20 years in prison at sentencing.

Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge of HSI El Paso, jointly announced the guilty plea. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Maria Y. Armijo, Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Castellano and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Tonkin as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative designed to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime. This operation streamlines resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).