The Zorro Ranch Touhy Letter and the Records New Mexico Wants (10/15/26)
The document is a May 3, 2026 Touhy request from the New Mexico Department of Justice seeking access to unredacted and unreleased federal records connected to Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Zorro Ranch. New Mexico said it reopened its investigation in February 2026 after DOJ released redacted Epstein materials that, for the first time, gave state investigators a clearer picture of what may have happened at the ranch. The state reminded DOJ that its original 2019 investigation had been closed at the request of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, with the New Mexico file turned over for use in federal prosecutions. Now, however, New Mexico is investigating potential state felonies including homicide, kidnapping, criminal sexual penetration, criminal sexual contact and human trafficking. Investigators said the redactions in the federal files were preventing them from identifying witnesses, corroborating survivor accounts, reconstructing travel and timelines, and determining whether additional people could be charged under New Mexico law.
The letter then laid out specific examples of why New Mexico says it needs the unredacted records. Those include FBI interviews describing victims being brought to Zorro Ranch repeatedly in the late 1990s and early 2000s, a 2019 prosecution memorandum identifying at least four minors and two adults who reported sexual assaults by Epstein, Maxwell and others in New Mexico, and interview notes from a victim who alleged Epstein forcibly raped her at the ranch. Another FBI interview described Maxwell allegedly giving a victim a non-consensual massage before Epstein sexually assaulted her, while other records referenced a professional massage therapist who described sexualized massages at Zorro Ranch, a male complainant who alleged he had been raped there, a 15-year-old girl flown to New Mexico, and a 2019 tip claiming that videos of sexual abuse existed and that two foreign girls were buried on the property. New Mexico made clear that these were allegations requiring investigation, not established facts, but argued that the federal government’s redactions were blocking meaningful follow-up and potentially preventing the identification of additional offenders.
to contact me:
bobbycapucci@protonmail.com
source:
gov.uscourts.dcd.295266.1.18.pdf
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Speaker 1: What's up everyone and welcome to another episode of the
Epstein Chronicles. In this episode, we're going to take a
look at the TUI letter that was sent to the
Department of Justice by the state of New Mexico. And
this was the letter that got the whole lawsuit kicked off. So,
let's dive in. First Assistant United States Attorney Ellison and
Special Agent in Charge Garris. In February 2026, the New
Mexico Department of Justice, MDOJ, reopened its investigation into allegations
of criminal activity involving Jeffrey Epstein and Glaine Maxwell and
their associates at the Zorro Ranch in Santa Fe County,
New Mexico. To further the NMDOJ's investigation, we respectfully submit
this TUI letter to request access to view and utilize
unredacted and unreleased records in the custody of United States
Department of Justice. On April 1, 2026, the MDOJ conferred
with Diego Pistana Associate Deputy Attorney General at USDOJ, who
affirmed the Department's commitment to assisting with the NMDOJ's ongoing
investigation and requested that the NMDOJ submit a TUI letter
through standard channels. Thorough investigations and meaningful accountability depend on
strong collaboration among state and federal partners, including appropriate information
sharing and effective coordination. We appreciate Mr. Pastana's support for
this approach and and for the NMDOJ's ongoing work on
behalf of crime victims. Thus, we submit this TUI letter,
pursuant to 28 CFR section 16.21 through 16.29, 2026, to
request access to the documents collected, assembled, and prepared in
connection with investigations and prosecutions previously handled by the USDOJ. Specifically,
we seek the redacted material contained in the USDOJ's Epstein file,
compiled pursuant to section 2A1-9 of the Epstein Files Transparency Act,
Public Law 119-38, November 19, 2025, along with any relevant
non-privileged unreleased files. Access to these records is essential to
ensure the fair and effective administration of justice for the
numerous named and unnamed victims of Epstein and his associates.
As required by TUI regulation, the NMDOJ confirms that the
United States is not anticipated to be a party of
this matter. background on investigation into criminal activity at Zorro Ranch.
Jeffrey Epstein purchased Zorro Ranch in 1993 and multiple survivors
of detailed abuse set the property, with allegations dating back
to 1996 and spanning over two decades. The NMDOJ opened
an investigation into these allegations in 2019, but closed it
at the request of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the
Southern District of New York and forwarded its case file,
for use in prosecuting Epstein's co-conspirators. Federal charges brought against
Maxwell in 2020 culminated in her December 2021 federal conviction
following testimony from several victims, some of whom described abuse
at Zorro Ranch. Yet that conviction leaves unresolved critical questions
about events in New Mexico and whether state crimes were committed.
The NMDOJ opened its investigation in February 2026 following the
release of the redacted Epstein files by the USDOJ. For
the first time, those materials provided insight into the possible
scope of Epstein and his associates' activities at the ranch.
On March 9, 2026, the NMDOJ executed a search of
the property and has since begun contacting potential victims and
witnesses to develop first-hand accounts of events. The Necessity and
Relevance of Assessing Unredacted Unreleased Materials Access to complete unredacted
and unreleased versions of investigative records is essential to advancing
the NMDOJ's investigation. Drawing on claims raised in related litigation
and information discernible from the unredacted USDOJ files, the state
of New Mexico is investigating potential felony offenses, including but
not limited to homicide, kidnapping, criminal sexual penetration, criminal sexual contact,
and human trafficking. One, securing the requested records is necessary
and relevant to corroborate victim testimony, construct an accurate timeline
of events, identify additional victims and witnesses, and enable the
identification and charging of potential offenders. Based on the NMDOJ's
cursory review of open-source redacted material, several records appear to
indicate activity in or tied to New Mexico that warrant
further investigation. Yet the present redactions impede meaningful follow-up. The
following is a non-exhaustive snapshot of documents that reflect matters
the NMDOJ aims to investigate further in its criminal inquiry. 1.
EFTA 00158500 2. EFTA 00158513 A February 2020 FBI interview
reflects that the victim was brought to New Mexico on
multiple occasions in the late 90s and early 2000s. as
part of a broader grooming relationship involving Jeffrey Epstein and
Ghislaine Maxwell and other unidentified individuals. Access to unredacted names
and details would allow NMDOJ investigators to identify potential witnesses,
verify travel movements, and conduct a more thorough examination of
the victim's experience in New Mexico. 2. EFTA 02-731082 2-0-2-3-1-1-6-7.
A December 2019 prosecution memorandum outlines at least four minors
and two adults that documented multiple instances of sexual assault
by Epstein, Maxwell, and others in New Mexico. The memo
references additional individuals whose identities remain redacted, limiting the NMDOJ's
ability to conduct follow-up interviews. 3-EFTA. 0-1-2- 45658 to EFTA 012-45661.
Interview notes from July 2019 reflect that a redacted victim
reported traveling to Zorro Ranch on at least five occasions,
including an incident involving forced, non-consensual intercourse by Epstein. The
victim also identified multiple individuals present at the ranch, the
names being fully redacted, whose identities and roles are material
to the NMDOJ's investigation. EFTA 06-99-047 to EFTA 016-99-160. 2006
FBI interview notes document a victim's redacted account of being
flown to Santa Fe, where Glenn Maxwell performed a non-consensual
massage before Epstein later sexually assaulted her. Additional information from
this witness could help identify other ranch personnel, clarify the
relationships among Epstein, Maxwell, and their associates, and generate further
leads corroborating evidence. EFTA 00173832 to EFTA 00173833 A redacted
interview summarizing the account of a professional massage therapist who
provided services to Epstein, Maxwell, and multiple young women over
a three-year period at Zorro Ranch. The witness describes how
the massages became sexual in nature and details Maxwell's role
in facilitating the conduct. An unredacted version would enable NMDOJ
to identify house managers, additional individuals who received massages, and
other women referenced within the document. 6. EFTA 00020495 to
EFTA 00020496 FBI intake report documenting a man's allegation that
he was raped at Zorro Ranch. Identifying this individual would
enable investigators to pursue further questioning. locate potential corroborating witnesses,
and assess credibility of the allegations. 7. EFTA 012-45688 to
EFTA 012-45693 A 2020 FBI interview summarizing a redacted victim's
account of events at Zorro Ranch in 2002, including interactions
with members of Epstein's inner circle. Further investigation by NMDOJ
could examine Maxwell and others' roles in Epstein's operations and
assess whether their involvement constituted co-conspiracy or accessory liability under
New Mexico law. 8. EFTA 00-090-595 to EFTA 000-90-597 An
FBI report outlines a redacted victim account of meeting Epstein
and Maxwell at age 15, flying with Epstein to New Mexico,
and spending several days at Zorro Ranch, where she describes
sexual conduct, involving Epstein and the presence of other young women.
Identifying this victim and other individuals present would allow NMDOJ
to interview them and evaluate potential criminal conduct. 9. EFTA
012-50231 to EFTA 012-50232 An FBI complaint formed detailing a
November 2019 email received from an Albuquerque, New Mexico resident.
from an unidentified individual providing videos of sexual abuse by
Epstein and the location of two foreign girls purportedly buried
on the ranch. 10. Multiple emails, receipts, and other records
related to operation and staffing at Zorro Ranch are heavily redacted,
leaving dates, identities, and other key details obscured and hindering
a full understanding of potential criminal activity at the ranch.
The consideration set forth in 28 CFR, Section 16.26 support
the NMDOJ's access to and use of the complete unredacted
records because the state would be required to disclose such
material under the rules of criminal procedure in any resulting
prosecution and because the NMDOJ is not seeking information barred
by statute regulation or subpart B full access is both
appropriate and consistent with governing law The considerations in Subpart
C also support granting access to the requested material. The
offenses alleged to have occurred in New Mexico were extensive, severe,
and inflicted lasting harm on the survivors who spent time
at Zorro Ranch. Given the gravity of these violations, Epstein's
documented history of sexual exploitation, and the state's compelling interest
in pursuing accountability, the Administration of Justice strongly favors disclosure.
The NMDOJ seeks to minimize the burden on the USDOJ
The NMDOJ seeks to minimize any administrative or financial burden
on the USDOJ. To that end, rather than request that
the USDOJ undertake the resource-intensive task of identifying records relevant
to New Mexico's investigation, the NMDOJ is prepared to send
a team to Maine Justice to conduct the review. Our
legal team stands ready to examine the material in person
subject to reasonable security protocol and access conditions but the
USDOJ deems appropriate. The NMDOJ is committed to safeguarding the
confidentiality of these records. Use of records will be limited
to material bearing directly on potential criminal activity in New
Mexico and information reasonably calculated to lead to admissible evidence.
The NMDOJ appreciates the U.S. DOJ's stated commitment to assisting
the State of New Mexico in its efforts to pursue
justice for the survivors of Epstein's abuse. Your willingness to
engage collaboratively and support this work underscores the shared obligation
of our institutions to protect victims, uphold the rule of law,
and ensure accountability. We look forward to continuing our partnership.
We respectfully request that your office respond by May 11,
2026 so that logistical arrangements can be timely finalized. We're
prepared to move forward at your earliest convenience. This document
was dated August 5, 2026 and it was signed by
Sean P. Sullivan, Special Counsel, New Mexico. All the information
that goes with this episode can be found in the
description box.