The Dakota County Attorney’s Office has filed additional criminal charges against Doug and Gina Dahlen for their involvement in the disappearance of two sisters from Lakeville.
Four additional felony charges of deprivation of parental rights have been filed against the Dahlens, who have now been charged with a total of six felony counts for their role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki.
The girls disappeared on April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents.
On November 18, 2015 – 944 days after they disappeared – the girls were found living on the Dahlens’ ranch in northern Minnesota by law enforcement, headed by the Lakeville Police Department.
According to the amended criminal complaints, Samantha and Gianna Rucki were delivered to the Dahlen’s residence at the White Horse Ranch in northern Minnesota on April 21, 2013, by the girls’ mother, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and her friend, Dede Evavold.
Grazzini-Rucki was convicted in July on six counts of deprivation of parent rights for her role in the disappearance of her daughters.
Evavold was also found guilty in September on six counts of deprivation of parental rights.
Evavold is a close friend and confidant of Grazzini-Rucki, who she met during Grazzini-Rucki’s divorce with David Rucki.
Doug and Gina Dahlen were granted “use immunity” or limited immunity to testify against Grazzini-Rucki at her criminal trial. Gina Dahlen was called to testify at Grazzini-Rucki’s trial, and she testified with the same limited immunity at Evavold’s trial.
Gina Dahlen testified that she first met Evavold when they previously worked together in pharmaceutical sales.
David Rucki was awarded full custody of all five of his children in November 2013, while two of his daughters remained missing.
Rucki was reunited with his daughters days after they were found and they live with him and their other siblings at the family’s home in Lakeville.
Doug Dahlen’s criminal trial is scheduled for January 23, 2017, and Gina Dahlen’s trial is scheduled for February 7, 2017. Both criminal trials will be conducted at the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings.
