New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez says the DoJ missed a 31 July deadline to provide unredacted records related to alleged abuse at Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch, receiving only 31 heavily redacted pages. Torrez has warned he will pursue legal remedies and said lack of access is hampering the state's reopened criminal probe. Federal prosecutors say some materials are subject to protective orders to shield victims, while New Mexico officials argue access is essential to identify co-conspirators and move the investigation forward.
DoJ Misses Deadline To Release Epstein Zorro Ranch Files, New Mexico AG Threatens Legal Action
The Zorro ranch, formerly owned by Jeffrey Epstein, in this July 2019 picture.Photograph: Drone Base/Reuters
The US Department of Justice (DoJ) appears to have missed a 31 July deadline set by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez to provide unredacted records related to alleged abuse at Zorro Ranch, the 10,000-acre property outside Santa Fe formerly owned by financier Jeffrey Epstein.
What Happened
Torrez reopened a long-dormant criminal investigation into alleged crimes at Zorro Ranch and asked the DoJ in February to allow state investigators access to any unredacted federal files in its custody. The state set a firm deadline of 31 July for federal prosecutors — including the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), which led the original Epstein inquiry — to permit a review of relevant documents.
Limited Response From Federal Authorities
As the deadline arrived, Torrez said his office had received only 31 pages, mostly old news clippings and heavily redacted material that offered limited investigative value. Torrez warned in a 14 July letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche that he would "pursue all available legal remedies without further notice" if the DoJ did not produce the unredacted records.
“Every day that goes by that doesn't happen is another day that we've delayed delivering justice for the survivors,” Torrez said, urging Blanche to grant access immediately.
Federal Position And Disputes
Officials tied to the SDNY have cited protective orders and redactions to protect victim identities. Jay Clayton, the former US attorney for the SDNY and now director-designate of national intelligence, told Senator Martin Heinrich at his confirmation hearing that his team was "seeking dialogue" to try to reach an accommodation. The US Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico said it had "substantively responded" on 30 June by emailing the 31 documents to Torrez's office, and clarified that it did not lead or retain the original Zorro Ranch investigative materials.
Why The Files Matter
Reporting by The Guardian earlier this year indicated recent public releases of the so-called Epstein files contained thousands of references to Zorro Ranch and included numerous photographs of men and young girls at the property. Unlike other locations tied to Epstein's network — such as properties in Palm Beach and New York or his private Caribbean island — no federal search of Zorro Ranch has been publicly confirmed, leaving unanswered questions about the scope of prior investigations.
Next Steps And Implications
Torrez has not ruled out filing suit to obtain the records and said federal cooperation is critical for identifying co-conspirators, witnesses and corroborating evidence. DoJ officials have said protective orders constrain what can be shared; Torrez argues those concerns can be addressed without leaving state investigators blind to potentially crucial leads. The dispute underscores tensions between state prosecutors seeking to advance a reopened criminal probe and federal authorities balancing privacy, protective orders and prosecutorial discretion.
Status: As of the 31 July deadline, New Mexico officials say they have not received meaningful access to unredacted files; the DoJ has not published a comprehensive public response to the deadline.
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