LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Today, District Attorney Mark D’Antonio announced that a convicted rapist charged with a laundry list of crimes was found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm and tampering with evidence.
Late Thursday, a jury found Dean Rieck, now 57, guilty as charged. He was facing one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and one count of tampering with evidence, both fourth-degree felonies.
At trial, a DNA expert testified that the defendant’s blood and skin cells were found on a handgun hidden under a mattress. Meanwhile, prosecutors proved that the defendant hid the loaded gun under his mattress to avoid prosecution.
Chief District Judge Fernando Macias presided over the three-day trial which concluded on Thursday after two hours of deliberation.
The charges stemmed from a stabbing incident that took place on the 8900 block of Angie Lane in Mesilla Park, New Mexico in December 2014. The defendant is still charged with several other crimes including one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, a third-degree felony, and one count of possessing child pornography, a fourth-degree felony.
Sentencing for this case is scheduled next Wednesday. Under New Mexico law, a defendant’s sentence may be enhanced by eight years in prison if he’s been previously convicted of three felonies.
The defendant in this case had previously been convicted of illegally possessing a firearm, failing to register as a sex offender, burglary, robbery and rape. Those incidents took place between 1977 and 2010.
Information from Third Judicial District Attorney's office