The state of New Mexico filed suit against the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday, accusing federal officials of blocking a state investigation into sex crimes tied to Jeffrey Epstein. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C. names the department and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche as defendants.
Attorney General Raúl Torrez said the Justice Department has "stonewalled" his office's efforts to pursue criminal charges against Epstein and others connected to alleged activities at Epstein's ranch near Santa Fe.
The lawsuit claims the federal government's actions have harmed victims and undermined the public interest.
Epstein's ranch in Cedar Crest, New Mexico, has been a central focus of investigations into his sex trafficking network. Federal authorities previously conducted their own probes, including a 2007 non-prosecution agreement and federal charges filed in 2019.
Torrez argues the state holds a distinct interest in prosecuting offenses that occurred within its borders. That jurisdictional claim is the core of the lawsuit's challenge to federal interference.
The filing does not specify exactly what steps the Justice Department took to impede the state investigation, alleging broadly that federal officials blocked New Mexico's ability to conduct its own criminal inquiry.
Blanche, who assumed the role in January 2025, now faces a direct legal challenge from a state seeking to assert its prosecutorial authority.
Torrez's office frames the lawsuit as a continuation of victims' long-standing pursuit of justice, arguing that federal investigations have not fully addressed the scope of alleged criminal activity within New Mexico.
