What is document EFTA00017781?

This is an official September 2019 letter from New Mexico Attorney General Hector H. Balderas to the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York, transmitting investigative materials about Jeffrey Epstein's activities in New Mexico and offering continued cooperation.

Who is mentioned in this document?

The document names Jeffrey Epstein as the subject of investigation, Attorney General Hector H. Balderas as the author, and references federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York. It also mentions Epstein's use of New Mexico public lands.

What does this document reveal?

The document reveals that New Mexico state investigators had compiled substantial evidence including police reports, recorded witness interviews, and land lease documents related to Epstein's activities. It also reveals a key limitation: all documented conduct occurred before New Mexico's 2008 human-trafficking statute, meaning state charges were barred by the statute of limitations.

Why couldn't New Mexico prosecute Epstein?

According to the letter, all documented criminal conduct occurred prior to 2008, when New Mexico enacted its human-trafficking statute. Combined with New Mexico's statute of limitations, this meant the state lacked legal authority to bring charges for the crimes its investigators had documented.

Zorro Ranch was Jeffrey Epstein's 8,000-acre property south of Santa Fe, New Mexico, which he purchased in 1993. The ranch, complete with an airstrip and helipad, was the site of alleged sex trafficking according to multiple victims including Virginia Giuffre. The property was sold in 2023 and renamed Rancho de San Rafael.

What is document EFTA00017781?

This is an official September 2019 letter from New Mexico Attorney General Hector H. Balderas to the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York, transmitting investigative materials about Jeffrey Epstein's activities in New Mexico and offering continued cooperation.

Who is mentioned in this document?

The document names Jeffrey Epstein as the subject of investigation, Attorney General Hector H. Balderas as the author, and references federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York. It also mentions Epstein's use of New Mexico public lands.

What does this document reveal?

The document reveals that New Mexico state investigators had compiled substantial evidence including police reports, recorded witness interviews, and land lease documents related to Epstein's activities. It also reveals a key limitation: all documented conduct occurred before New Mexico's 2008 human-trafficking statute, meaning state charges were barred by the statute of limitations.

Why couldn't New Mexico prosecute Epstein?

According to the letter, all documented criminal conduct occurred prior to 2008, when New Mexico enacted its human-trafficking statute. Combined with New Mexico's statute of limitations, this meant the state lacked legal authority to bring charges for the crimes its investigators had documented.

Zorro Ranch was Jeffrey Epstein's 8,000-acre property south of Santa Fe, New Mexico, which he purchased in 1993. The ranch, complete with an airstrip and helipad, was the site of alleged sex trafficking according to multiple victims including Virginia Giuffre. The property was sold in 2023 and renamed Rancho de San Rafael.

EFTA00017781 - EFTA00017782

Official letter from New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas to federal prosecutors offering cooperation in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, dated September 17, 2019.

This is a formal letter from New Mexico Attorney General Hector H. Balderas to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, offering to share investigative materials related to Jeffrey Epstein's activities in New Mexico. The letter accompanied over 1,000 pages of documents including police reports, recorded witness interviews, correspondence among New Mexico state agencies, and records related to Epstein's leasing of New Mexico public lands (his Zorro Ranch). Balderas notes that all documented conduct occurred prior to 2008, before New Mexico enacted its human-trafficking statute, which limited the state's ability to prosecute. The letter represents a significant moment in inter-jurisdictional cooperation in the Epstein case.

Key Highlights

•New Mexico AG transmitted police reports, witness interviews, and land lease documents to federal prosecutors
•All documented crimes occurred before New Mexico's 2008 human-trafficking law, creating prosecution barriers
•Documents relate to Epstein's leasing of New Mexico public lands through his Zorro Ranch
•Balderas pledged to work with federal prosecutors if additional survivors came forward

Frequently Asked Questions

Books for Further Reading

Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story

Julie K. Brown

Investigative journalism that broke the Epstein case open

Filthy Rich: The Jeffrey Epstein Story

James Patterson

Bestselling account of Epstein's crimes and network

The Hollow Tree (The Tales of Blowville Book 1)

Document Information

Bates Range

EFTA00017781 - EFTA00017782

Pages

Document Content

Page 1 - EFTA00017781

STATE OF NEW MEXICO OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HECTOR H. BALDERAS ATTORNEY GENERAL September 1 7, 2019 Assistant United States Attorney Southern District of New York I St. Andrew's Plaza New York, NY 10007 Via email & U.S Mail Re: Continued investigation into possible collaborators of Jeffrey Epstein Dear Thank you for speaking with myself and others from the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General last week. Pursuant to our telephone conversation, this Office is providing the enclosed materials related to the criminal investigation and potential prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein's co-conspirators. The enclosed documents include police reports, recorded witness interviews, correspondence amongst New Mexico State agencies, and documents related to Epstein's leasing of New Mexico public lands. As previously discussed, all conduct described in our investigation occurred prior to 2008, the year New Mexico enacted its human-trafficking statute. See NMSA 1978, Sections 30-52-1 to -2.1. Should you have any questions, require any law-enforcement assistance in New Mexico, or become aware of any criminal charges implicating New Mexico law not barred by New Mexico's statute of limitations, NMSA 1978, Section 30-1-8, I ask that you do not hesitate to contact me directly. Should further investigation reveal additional survivors of crimes occurring in New Mexico, know that this Office intends to work in union with the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico to ensure that these brave survivors have the opportunity to see that justice is achieved in a court of law. Again, please contact me personally if your investigation reveals survivors of crimes occurring in New Mexico not mentioned in the provided investigative materials. TOLL FREE 1-844-255-9210 TELEPHONE: (505)490-4060 FAX: (505)490-4883 www.nmag.gov MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. DRAWER 1508 - SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO 87504-1508 STREET ADDRESS: 408 GALISTEO STREET - SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO 87501 EFTA00017781

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Epstein's death should not be the end of this criminal inquiry. I thus thank you for continuing to give this serious matter the attention it deserves. This Office will continue to update you in a timely manner should we become aware of any new information that could be assistive to you. Respectfully, Clara Moran Chief Deputy Attorney General EFTA00017782