New Mexico family acquitted of gun smuggling charges

After more than six hours of deliberations, the jury handed down a verdict for the Deming, N.M., family accused by federal prosecutors of knowingly selling guns to purchasers for a Mexican drug cartel member to smuggle to Mexico.

Remington Reese, 20, was acquitted on all counts and released from jail on Wednesday.

Family members’ eyes filled with tears as they told ABC-7 outside the courthouse it was great to see Remington go home with his mom, Terri Reese, for the first time in almost a year. Terri cried in the courtroom and hugged her son after he was acquitted.

All four family members, Remington, Terri, Rick Reese and Ryin Reese, were acquitted of one count of conspiracy and 17 counts of gun smuggling.

The jury did convict Terri, Rick and Ryin of making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms. Ryin was found guilty on two counts while both Rick and Terri were found guilty on one count each.

The defense told ABC-7 they were hoping for a full acquittal across the board but they said this proves they were right about the Reese family not providing weapons to the cartel.

Defense attorney Jason Bowles represented Ryin Reese and said the case was stacked against the Reese family from the start.

“It’s a completely unfair case. I still believe in the sense the government arrayed all resources they could do against some people, a family in a store,” Bowles said.

Defense attorney Robert Gorence represented Rick Reese. He told ABC-7 the federal government has a bias against gun dealers.

“I think there is a hostility on the part of this justice department to people owning firearms and part of that hostility translates to people who lawfully sell them on the border,” Gorence said.

Each count of making false statements carries a maximum of five years in prison though the Reeses could face less since they do not have criminal histories.

Sentencing will probably take place in about two months.