A Judge's Son, A Protective Order, and Allegations of Abuse

An El Paso mother has come forward with deeply troubling allegations against Joseph Dominic Saenz, the son of embattled Justice of the Peace Lucila Najera, including claims of alleged sexual abuse against two children spanning nearly a decade. The case has resulted in a court-issued protective order while an investigation is ongoing, and it adds another layer of scrutiny to a judge who has faced mounting questions about her conduct in office.

Heidi Rodriguez, who shares a biological child with Saenz, voluntarily came forward to share her account. The alleged abuse involves two children: Rodriguez's eldest daughter, who is not Saenz's biological child, and the couple's now-12-year-old daughter, who is Saenz's biological child and Judge Najera's first grandchild.

According to Rodriguez, the alleged abuse of the eldest daughter occurred while Saenz was serving as her stepfather. Rodriguez states that those allegations were investigated and referred to then-District Attorney Yvonne Rosales, but no charges were filed and the matter did not proceed.

Rodriguez further alleges that the abuse of the couple's biological daughter began when the child was just 4 years old. Following a new set of allegations brought forward last month, a protective order was granted in the matter of case number 2026DCM0604, with the investigation now active. Rodriguez's 12-year-old daughter is identified as the alleged victim in that proceeding. 

The children’s names have been redacted for their privacy.

Judge Najera is not named in the protective order and is not subject to its conditions.

However, Rodriguez's account does not stop with the alleged abuse. She alleges that during her relationship with Saenz, Judge Najera placed significant pressure on her to remain in the relationship, reportedly telling Rodriguez on multiple occasions that she was "the best thing that ever happened to him." Rodriguez characterizes the judge's conduct as motivated by concern for her personal image and public standing.

Perhaps most striking is what Rodriguez says has not happened. Despite the protective order, the active investigation, and the fact that the alleged victim is Najera's first grandchild and her only grandchild in El Paso, Rodriguez says the judge has made no effort to contact her or inquire about the child's well-being.

Judge Najera is currently in a run-off election against former El Paso County Democratic Party Chairwoman Dora Oaxaca. 

Pictured below is Judge Najera with her son and spouse. Her son is wearing a noteworthy motorcycle patch, though it is unclear if he is a member of the club. 

Interestingly, sources at the polling places indicate that Najera's campaign team is also handing out campaign material for another embattled candidate, Christina Montes. 

If you zoom in, you can clearly see that the volunteer is "bundling" lit for both Najera and Montes. 

Montes' spouse had similar issues in his past among other issues recently covered in this article in El Paso Matters. 

This is a developing story. Additional documentation, including court records related to the protective order, will be published alongside this report. As new information becomes available, this outlet will continue to follow the case.