当局周一开始搜查新墨西哥州的一个大农场，该农场曾属于已故的被定罪的性侵犯者杰弗里·爱泼斯坦，再次对美国司法部近十年前采取的措施提出质疑。
虽然新墨西哥司法部公布了一些关于新调查的细节，但以下是我们对牧场的了解以及促使重新审查的原因:
司法部搜查过农场吗?
当爱泼斯坦被逮捕了2019年7月，在联邦性贩运指控下，对他涉嫌非法活动的调查席卷了他的许多豪华房产。然而，根据美国DOJ今年早些时候公布的电子邮件，调查人员显然从未搜查过他在新墨西哥的牧场，原名为“佐罗牧场”。
2019年8月，当爱泼斯坦被发现在曼哈顿监狱的一间牢房中自杀身亡时，调查人员的范围扩大了，但当局似乎从未返回搜查该房产以寻找潜在证据。
新墨西哥州司法部长劳尔·托雷兹(Raúl Torrez)表示，虽然新墨西哥州对该财产展开了自己的调查，但应美国DOJ的要求，调查于2019年暂停。
是什么促使州政府重新开始调查?
新墨西哥DOJ在上个月发表的一份声明中表示，重新开始调查是因为“之前密封的美国联邦调查局档案中概述的披露需要进一步检查。”
声明没有提供有关“披露”的进一步细节，州司法部长托雷兹也没有公开评论哪些文件引发了调查。
在回答美国广播公司新闻的询问时，新墨西哥州总检察长的代表指出了本周早些时候关于搜查的一份声明。
“这次搜查是新墨西哥州司法部2月19日宣布的刑事调查的一部分，该调查是针对爱泼斯坦在2019年死亡之前在爱泼斯坦的牧场进行非法活动的指控，”声明中说。
然而，在新墨西哥州DOJ开始调查前大约一周，该办公室收到了新墨西哥州公共土地专员的请求，要求调查美国DOJ公布的文件中包含的一项未经证实的指控，即两具尸体被埋在牧场周围的山上。
“我代表新墨西哥州土地办公室，要求美国司法部和新墨西哥司法部彻底调查这一令人不安的指控，”新墨西哥公共土地专员斯蒂芬妮·加西亚·理查德在2月10日ABC新闻获得的一封信中说。
根据美国DOJ公布的文件，当地一名电台主持人在2019年11月收到了一封匿名个人的电子邮件，他声称曾在牧场工作，并声称两名“外国女孩”在被勒死后被埋在牧场的地上。
这位电台主持人告诉美国联邦调查局，他最初收到了一个比特币的要求，以换取尸体的位置和七个性虐待视频。
根据美国联邦调查局一份纪念这一消息的报告，东道主迅速与美国联邦调查局分享了这一信息。报道称，美国联邦调查局收到了举报，这位电台主持人与调查人员进行了交谈，但似乎没有对这一说法进行进一步调查，部分原因是发送举报的电子邮件账户已被停用。
除了最初的电子邮件之外，美国DOJ发布的报告和材料没有包括任何证据来证实这些说法。新墨西哥州公共土地专员的文件和担忧似乎是调查人员重新开始调查的部分原因。
现在谁拥有这个牧场?
佐罗牧场于2023年出售给德克萨斯州商人兼政治家唐·赫芬尼丝，他目前是德克萨斯州州审计长的共和党提名人。他获得了唐纳德·特朗普总统的支持，击败了现任总统。
在社交媒体上的一篇帖子中，赫芬尼丝解释说，他在2023年购买这处房产时就知道它的历史，“在出售时，市场宣传收益将归受害者所有。”
他在《邮报》上说，他已经把这个牧场重新命名为“圣拉斐尔”，并打算“把它改造成一个基督教静修所，为耶稣收回它。”
新墨西哥DOJ本周表示，它“感谢目前财产所有者在允许搜查方面的合作，并对牧场工作人员的专业精神表示感谢。”
目前还不清楚新墨西哥DOJ是否获得了对该房产的搜查令，或者只是在征得房主同意的情况下运营。
调查的目标是什么?
调查开始之际，新墨西哥州的立法者正在寻求更好地了解爱普斯坦是如何多年来逃避法律审查的。上个月，新墨西哥众议院一致投票决定成立爱泼斯坦“真相委员会”，以更好地了解爱泼斯坦在该州的活动。该委员会拥有传票权和200万美元的预算来进行调查。
在上周的一篇专栏文章中，司法部长托雷斯承认该州的调查面临障碍，但发誓要发布一份关于他的调查结果的公开报告。
“爱泼斯坦已经去世多年了。佐罗牧场已经换了主人。物证可能已经不存在了，诉讼时效很可能已经适用于许多潜在的犯罪。这些是真正的障碍，幸存者应该清楚地听到他们的陈述。但是我们会追踪证据，不留下任何未被调查的可信问题，”托雷斯说。
Why are authorities finally searching Epstein's ranch in New Mexico?
Authorities on Monday began searching a sprawling ranch in New Mexico formerly owned by the late convicted sex offenderJeffrey Epstein, renewing questions about the steps taken by the U.S. Department of Justice nearly a decade ago.
While the New Mexico Department of Justice has released few details about the new investigation, here is what we know about the ranch and what prompted the renewed scrutiny:
Did the Department of Justice ever search the ranch?
When Epsteinwas arrestedin July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges, the investigation into his alleged illicit activity swept across many of his opulent properties. However, investigators apparently never searched his New Mexico ranch, formerly known as "Zorro Ranch," according to emails released by the U.S. DOJ earlier this year.
When Epstein was found dead by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019, investigators' scope broadened, but authorities appear to have never returned to raid the property for potential evidence.
While New Mexico initiated its own investigation into the property, the probe was paused in 2019 at the request of the U.S. DOJ, according to New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez.
What prompted state authorities to re-open their investigation?
In a statement issued last month, the New Mexico DOJ said the investigation was re-opened because "revelations outlined in the previously sealed FBI files warrant further examination."
The statement did not provide further details about the "revelations," and state Attorney General Torrez has not publicly commented on which files prompted the investigation.
In response to inquiries from ABC News, a representative for the New Mexico Attorney General pointed to a statement about the search from earlier this week.
“This search is part of the criminal investigation announced by the New Mexico Department of Justice on February 19th into allegations of illegal activity at Epstein's ranch prior to Epstein’s 2019 death,” the statement said in part.
However, approximately a week before the New Mexico DOJ opened their investigation, the office received a request from the New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands to investigate an unsubstantiated allegation included in files released by the U.S. DOJ that two bodies were buried in the hills around the ranch.
"On behalf of the New Mexico State Land Office, I am requesting that both the U.S. Department of Justice and the New Mexico Department of Justice thoroughly investigate this disturbing allegation," New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard said on Feb. 10 in a letter obtained by ABC News.
According to documents released by the U.S. DOJ, a local radio host received an email in November 2019 from an anonymous individual who claimed to have worked at the ranch and alleged that two "foreign girls" were buried on the grounds of the ranch after being strangulated.
The radio host told the FBI that he originally received a demand for one bitcoin in exchange for the location of the bodies and seven videos of sexual abuse.
According to an FBI report memorializing the tip, the host promptly shared the information with the FBI. The report suggested that the tip was received by the FBI and that the radio host spoke with investigators, though it does not appear the claim was investigated further, in part because the email account that sent the tip was deactivated.
The report and materials released by the U.S. DOJ did not include any evidence to corroborate the claims beyond the initial email. The documents and concern from the New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands appear to be part of the reason investigators have re-opened the investigation.
Who owns the ranch now?
Zorro Ranch was sold in 2023 to Texas businessman and politician Don Huffines, who is currently the Republican nominee for Texas's state comptroller. He was endorsed by President Donald Trump in an upset victory against the incumbent.
In a post on social media, Huffines explained that he was aware of the history of the property when he purchased it in 2023 and that "at the time of the sale, it was marketed that the proceeds would go to the victims."
He said in the post that he has renamed the ranch "San Rafael" and intends to "to remake it as a Christian retreat, reclaiming it for Jesus."
The New Mexico DOJ this week said it "appreciates the cooperation of the current property owners in granting access for the search and extends its thanks to the ranch staff for their professionalism."
It is unclear if the New Mexico DOJ obtained a search warrant for the property or is just operating with the consent of the property owner.
What is the goal of the investigation?
The investigation comes as New Mexico lawmakers are seeking to better understand how Epstein was able to avoid legal scrutiny for years. Last month, the New Mexico House voted unanimously to create an Epstein "Truth Commission" to better understand Epstein's activities in the state. The commission has subpoena power and a budget of $2 million to carry out its investigation.
In a column last week, Attorney General Torres acknowledged that the state’s investigation faces obstacles but vowed to issue a public report about his findings.
"Epstein has been dead for years. Zorro Ranch has changed ownership. Physical evidence may no longer exist, and the statute of limitations has likely run on many potential offenses. These are real obstacles, and survivors deserve to hear them stated plainly. But we will follow the evidence wherever it leads and leave no credible question unexplored," Torres said.
