WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice has denied New Mexico's request for unredacted investigative files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying federal law, court orders and legal protections for victims and witnesses prevent the release of the documents sought by state investigators.
The dispute centers on New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez's effort to obtain records connected to Epstein's former Zorro Ranch property in Santa Fe County, where the state reopened a criminal investigation earlier this year into alleged abuse and trafficking. Torrez has argued the records are necessary to identify survivors, witnesses and possible co-conspirators who could assist the state's investigation.
In a statement, a Justice Department spokesperson said the agency was prohibited from releasing "millions of unredacted documents," citing federal law, existing court orders and privacy protections for victims and witnesses. The department said it would continue to comply with those legal obligations and maintained that providing the requested records without authorization would violate federal law.
Torrez has sharply criticized the federal response, accusing the Justice Department of obstructing New Mexico's investigation. In a letter made public this month, he said more than 130 days had passed since the state's initial request and argued that delays risk undermining potential prosecutions as witnesses become harder to locate and evidence becomes more difficult to preserve.
According to the New Mexico Department of Justice, investigators believe the unredacted files contain information identifying individuals whose testimony or involvement could be relevant to alleged crimes committed in the state. The department has said it has received only publicly available materials, heavily redacted documents and media reports in response to its requests.
The disagreement comes amid broader scrutiny of the federal government's handling of Epstein-related records following the enactment of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which has led to the public release of numerous documents while preserving redactions intended to protect victims and other private individuals. The Justice Department has said those redactions remain legally required in many cases.
Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide, ending the federal prosecution against him, although investigations into individuals connected to his activities have continued.
As of July 18, New Mexico's investigation remained active, while federal officials had not indicated they would provide the unredacted records requested by the state absent a change in applicable legal restrictions or court orders.
