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LAS CRUCES — The federal gun-smuggling trial of four members of a Deming area family began Tuesday with a defense attorney asserting that the mother of the Reese clan herself launched the investigation that ended up snaring her family....

LAS CRUCES (AP) — Defense lawyers for a New Mexico family accused of selling weapons to Mexican cartels say the federal government’s investigation is politically-motivated.

A hearing will be held Thursday at 9 a.m. at the U.S. District Court in Las Cruces, N.M., a spokesperson close to a family of arrested New Mexico gun dealers has informed Gun Rights Examiner. Rick Reese and wife Terri, along with sons Ryin and Remington, are facing accusations of knowingly selling firearms to cartel straw purchasers, money laundering and related charges. The ordeal of this family, including the denial of bail for almost a full year for the husband and sons, the seizure of their assets and property precluding a properly-funded defense, and the denial by the presiding judge...

A New Mexico man has filed a lawsuit over injuries he suffered at a convenience store in May when he was struck by ricocheting bullet fragments that were fired by a Pojoaque artist. The Albuquerque Journal reports that Elijah Mark Vera says Pojoaque artist Mateo Romero pulled a gun during an altercation with a homeless person and fired a shot into the pavement.

LOS LUNAS, N.M. — A Marine from Belen arrested for shooting and killing a burglar on the Fourth of July three years ago is now going after the lawmen who put him behind bars.

Eighteen months after Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was murdered in Arizona by Mexican bandits using guns purchased through a U.S. government program called Fast and Furious, we still don’t know who within the Department of Justice knew about the program, much less who authorized it. Certainly there has been no serious talk about prosecuting any of the people responsible for assisting in the illegal sales of over 2,000 guns to Mexican arms traffickers – guns that were subsequently involved in the murders of BPA Terry and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent Jaime Zapata, as well as possibly hundreds of...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Five Albuquerque-area residents were named in a recently unsealed federal indictment connected to what authorities say is a multistate scam abusing New Mexico's law that allows illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses.

As a follow-up to yesterday's GRE: Yesterday was a great day for the family. The attorneys' for the defense of the kids did a GREAT JOB. Out of three motions they only got through (1) which was conspiracy against the government, straw purchasers, money laundering, smuggling etc. The judge was very attentive and very detail- oriented of all the issues brought forward by the government. The attorneys were able to bring up how the government agents lied on federal forms to try to get the kids to make a mistake so the feds could trap them. The judge could see...

A spokesperson for a gun dealer family jailed since last August for conducting alleged sales to straw purchasers has informed Gun Rights Examiner that a hearing involving all defendants is taking place this morning at the U.S. District Court in Las Cruces, N.M. Husband and wife Rick and Terri Reese were operating New Deal Shooting Sports in Deming along with sons Ryin and Remington when they were arrested for allegedly knowingly selling firearms and ammunition to Mexican cartel buyers. “This is the most important hearing to date,” the source informed this correspondent via email. “All the lawyers have filed numerous...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico authorities on Wednesday detailed what they called a "recipe for fraud" as they announced the bust of a sophisticated ring that specialized in helping illegal immigrants obtain fraudulent driver's licenses.

The New Mexico Court of Appeals has ruled that it is illegal for a photography business owned by Christians to refuse to photograph a same-sex wedding ceremony—even though New Mexico law does not permit same-sex marriage. The court based its judgment on the text of the New Mexico Human Rights Act (NMHRA), which makes it illegal “any person in any public accommodation to make a distinction, directly or indirectly, in offering or refusing to offer its services . . . to any person because of race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, spousal affiliation or physical...

Santa Fe police didn't charge local artist Mateo Romero in connection with last week's shooting outside a north-side convenience store, his attorney said Thursday, because he was acting in self-defense after a panhandling couple tried to rob him. Attorney Dan Cron said in a telephone interview that police later told Romero he was targeted by a homeless couple who also had attempted to scam other people and were known drug users. Cron said his client gave police the following account of last Friday's incident: Romero pulled up next to gas pumps at Allsup's, 305 N. Guadalupe St., to fill up...

Mitt Romney was already facing a hard time within his party when it comes to his stance on illegal immigration. Now, the presumptive GOP nominee faces criticism on the issue from a potential running mate, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez (R). In an interview with Newsweek’s Andrew Romano, Martinez takes aim at “self-deportation,” an idea promoted by Romney during the GOP primary and one at the heart of Arizona’s controversial S.B. 1070 anti-illegal immigration law. As we sit down at a local Starbucks, I ask about immigration. It’s a topic she has been reluctant to discuss since winning the Republican...

The Ten Scariest DMV Horror Stories There is a dark side to driving in the US, and it is known as the DMV. Listen to these ten tales of woe from Jalopnik readers and you'll get a taste of American bureaucracy at its worst. 10.) Counterfeiters get Mustang GTs Suggested By: frankiepoops What happened: Worst experience that I ever had was when the NY DMV decided that my title for my 1996 green Mustang was counterfeit, not the first time I registered it, but when I went back to put it back on the road after parking it for a...

There has been a lot of confusion and angst about New Mexico dropping recognition of the Arizona CCW (along with 10 other states). Fortunately Gov. Susana Martinez reacted to the tsunami or firestorm of emails and had the New Mexico DPS restore those reciprocities and recognitions. As of May 1, 2012 this is the reciprocity list: http://www.dps.nm.org/index.php/nm-c...ty-agreements/ Gov. Martinez is an NRA member and made perfect scores on the live fire portion on the NM CCW permit test with the 45 auto and 38 revolver. I hope that this allays a lot of the consternation that has resulted from this....

The State of New Mexico has stopped honoring carry permits from 13 other states in the last two weeks according to a report on Handgunlaw.us. I don't see much good that will come of this especially for the residents of the Land of Enchantment. Notice: New Mexico has stopped honoring 13 other states Permit/Licenses in the last Couple weeks. Many of those states will stop honoring a New Mexico Permit/License. If you are a New Mexico Permit holder Handgunlaw.us advises you to call ahead to make sure your New Mexico Permit is honored. Below is the list of states that...

HOBBS, N.M. (KRQE) - Nathan Velasquez admitted to Hobbs police he shot an unarmed man but said he had good reason: the man was trying to steal his car and endangered his life. Hobbs dispatch received an emergency call just after 8 p.m. Monday from Cristobal Carrizoza night who said he'd been shot in the chest. "When police got here they found Cristobal Carrizoza suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest, and the individual Velasquez, who we later learned had done the shooting," Hobbs Officer Mike Stone said. Velasquez, 20, told police he went to get into his car...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Police said a homeowner shot someone who broke into his home in northwest Albuquerque on Sunday morning. The homeowner frantically called 911 after the shooting. Police said the man didn't know the intruder or how he got in. "He had fired numerous rounds at the individual," Sgt. Ferris Simmons said. "The suspect was conscious when police arrived. The homeowner did say he was conscious when he was making the call and crying." ------------cut------------------- "No one ever wants to take another person's life in a situation like this. However, we expect homeowners to defend their families and defend...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - A member of a gun dealer family jailed since last August for conducting alleged sales to straw purchasers has had her bail release delayed due to procedural documentation requirements, Gun Rights Examiner has learned. Terri Reese, wife of Deming gun shop owner and co-defendant Rick Reese, and mother of co-defendants Ryin and Remington Reese, was granted bail on February 24, provided a property appraisal/title search would be completed to secure her bond, this column reported on February 27. The family spokesperson who gave their side of the story in a February 28 follow-up report confirmed Wednesday that...

Police in New Mexico say a robbery suspect may have left a piece of his finger behind at the crime scene. Police arrived at the Up in Smoke Smoke Shop in Albuquerque after a report of shots fired Saturday night. According to a police spokesperson, the suspect fled the scene after emptying the register, but they believe he left behind his severed finger tip inside a glass display case. Wearing a black hoodie and sunglasses, the armed suspect emptied the register as well as demanded some of the store's glass pipes, according to the filed police report. Finding an opportunity...