Family Appears In Court In Weapons Case

Two days after federal agents raided a family-owned gun store with locations in both Deming and Las Cruces, a family of four accused of smuggling weapons made its first appearance in federal court Thursday morning.

It was an unusual sight to see the entire Reese family appear together before a federal judge. There were even some brief smiles exchanged between each of the four defendants.

Cameras were not allowed inside the Las Cruces Federal Courthouse.

Friends of the family’s said that cartels are the last people they would suspect the Reeses to get involved with. But officials said it may be a sign of the desperate economic times.

“I don’t think that he would sell himself and his family out for a few dollars,” said Bob Clark, who has known the Reeses for the past 15 years, said.

But the federal agents who raided New Deal Shooting Sports, south of Deming on Tuesday, claim that is exactly what the Reese family was doing.

Officials along the border say that cartels are aware of the weak U.S. economy and are taking advantage of it.

“They’re chasing the almighty dollar, and anything that gives them an edge is exactly what they’re going for,” Luna County Sheriff Raymond Cobos said. “So they’re going to try to strike at what they think is the weakest link. And that’s, you know, people willing to sell their souls for very little money and then willing to take money to turn a blind eye.”

Gun shop owner Rick Reese, his wife, Terri, and their two sons, Ryin, 24, and Remington, 19, are each facing multiple charges of smuggling and money laundering. The four defendants are accused of selling high-powered weapons and ammunition to undercover agents, knowing the items would end up in the hands of Mexican cartels.

“(Secretary of Homeland Security Janet) Napolitano was in El Paso saying, ‘We don’t have the spillover, we don’t have any kind of impact with the cartels in the state of New Mexico or along this border,’ … Well excuse me, now lets look at Deming, another example,” Republican New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez said.

Martinez said the latest accusations of American involvement with the cartels further emphasizes the federal government’s need for tighter border security.

“We’re asking, let us be at the table to let you understand what’s happening on the southern part of the country so we can secure our border,” Martinez said.

Clark described the Reese family as religious and honest, but has few words for a punishment if found guilty.

“They ought to hang ’em,” Clark said. “But I don’t believe that he (Rick) did it. I don’t believe that he did it. He would not risk his entire family and his business and all he’s worked for for the past 20 years to sell a few damn guns to Mexico.”

The family of four is expected to make their second appearance in federal court sometime later next week.