Category Analysis

Oops: Another fake news story from Grazzini-Rucki supporter retracted

June 19, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Media, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

An online story published by a key supporter of Sandra Grazzini-Rucki which made false and misleading claims about jury tampering during Grazzini-Rucki’s criminal trial was taken down by the media outlet after being contacted by Missing in Minnesota about the inaccurate facts contained in the story.

The inaccurate story was published by Michael Volpe for Communities Digital News last Thursday, but the story was later edited with multiple corrections by Jacquie Kubin, President of Communities Digital News, and then republished. Continue reading →

Doug and Gina Dahlen violated jail work release rules

June 15, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Douglas Dahlen, Gina Dahlen, Legal Developments

During their brief time in jail for their role in the disappearance of two sisters from Lakeville, Minnesota, Doug and Gina Dahlen repeatedly violated jail work release rules, based on documents obtained by Missing in Minnesota.

The repeated rule violations raise questions about the supervision the Dahlens received by jail staff, and if the clear violation of jail work release rules warrant further investigation by law enforcement and corrections officials in Minnesota.

Easy time in Traverse County

Doug and Gina Dahlen were released from the Traverse County Jail on Friday, June 2, after serving just 20 days in jail for their role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki. The Dahlens were released after their attorneys successfully petitioned the court to allow the Dahlens to receive credit for good behavior in jail.

Judge Karen Asphaug permitted the Dahlens to participate in a work release program throughout the term of their sentence. Work release gives inmates leave from jail to maintain employment while serving their sentence. But strict rules exist for work release programs and vary by county and program.

The Traverse County Jail, located in Wheaton, Minnesota has specific guidelines which must be followed by inmates participating in the work release program.

Days prior to their release, attorneys for Doug and Gina Dahlen filed a motion to clarify their sentence requesting early release based on “good conduct.”

As part of this motion the attorneys obtained information from the Traverse County Jail regarding the Dahlens’ conduct while in custody. According to correspondence filed with the motion pleadings, the Dahlens were labeled “model inmates” by Brenda Bartz, the Traverse County Jail Administrator. This alleged statement by Bartz was the basis for the motion requesting early release by the Dahlens. Continue reading →

Doug and Gina Dahlen released from jail after serving only 20 days

June 2, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Douglas Dahlen, Gina Dahlen, Legal Developments

Doug and Gina Dahlen were released from the Traverse County Jail this afternoon, after serving just 20 days in jail for their role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki.

Samantha and Gianna’s father, David Rucki, released a statement yesterday in response to an order granting Doug and Gina Dahlen an early release from jail.

In his statement, David Rucki expressed his strong frustration that Doug and Gina Dahlen would serve only 20 days in jail:

“I am appalled at the decision to allow the Dahlens to be released from jail after serving only 20 days. During the 942 days my missing children were held by the Dahlens, they were denied access to any medical treatment and education.

The Dahlens robbed my children of their youth, their family, their friends, and their life. My children and family were victimized by the Dahlens and we are still working together as a family to fully recover from the pain and trauma they inflicted.

Today’s decision to allow the Dahlens to stroll out of jail after serving only 20 days trivializes the severity of their crimes and the pain inflicted on my children and family.”

Doug and Gina Dahlen, pleaded guilty for their role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki, and were later sentenced to one year in jail. The Dahlens’ full jail sentence was stayed, pending the successful completion of two-years probation and a jail sentence of 31 days. Continue reading →

Dahlens will be out of jail tomorrow; David Rucki ‘appalled’ by court’s decision

June 1, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Douglas Dahlen, Gina Dahlen, Legal Developments

David Rucki released a statement today in response to an order granting Doug and Gina Dahlen an early release from jail after serving only 20 days for their involvement in the disappearance of his children for 944 days.

In his statement, David Rucki expressed his strong frustration that Doug and Gina Dahlen served only 20 days in jail:

Today’s decision to allow the Dahlens to stroll out of jail after serving only 20 days trivializes the severity of their crimes and the pain inflicted on my children and family.”

Law enforcement investigating threatening social media posts connected to Grazzini-Rucki and supporters

May 22, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Legal Developments

Law enforcement in Dakota County is currently investigating numerous threatening, harassing, and defamatory statements which have been published on social media accounts connected to Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and her supporters.

A collection of social media accounts on Twitter and Facebook have targeted judges, law enforcement, court staff, and journalists, including members of their families.

David Rucki and members of his family continue to be targeted by multiple social media accounts, which has lasted for years.

Missing in Minnesota is not publishing the name of the suspected social media accounts, nor will the content contained in the posts be published at this time. Continue reading →

Missing and found in Minnesota: Doug and Gina Dahlen

May 17, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Douglas Dahlen, Gina Dahlen, Legal Developments

Doug and Gina Dahlen, who pleaded guilty for their role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki, did not report to jail in Dakota County or Grant County to serve their jail sentence yesterday morning, triggering widespread confusion as to their whereabouts.

Based on information uncovered by Missing in Minnesota, it was later determined that the Dahlens had reported to jail in Traverse County. The jail in Traverse County is located in Wheaton, Minnesota and after traveling to the jail late yesterday, Missing in Minnesota was able to confirm that Doug and Gina Dahlen were in custody.

But questions remain unanswered today as to how and why the Dahlens were permitted to report to jail in Traverse County, when they live in Grant County, and were criminally charged and prosecuted in Dakota County. Continue reading →

Lawyers Board: Michelle MacDonald’s ‘serious misconduct’ warrants suspension of her law license

May 15, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Legal Developments, Michelle MacDonald

Michelle MacDonald’s behavior during a family court hearing for Sandra Grazzini-Rucki was described as “the ultimate dereliction of an attorney’s duty, and is unquestionably serious misconduct warranting suspension” in a brief filed by the Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board involving the attorney complaint against MacDonald.

A judicial referee appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court recommended in January that MacDonald’s law license be suspended for a minimum of 60 days, followed by two years of probation, which would include a mental health evaluation.

The recommendation by Judge Heather Sweetland comes after a two-day hearing was held last November about an attorney complaint filed against MacDonald, who was a candidate for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2014 and 2016.

MacDonald is appealing the recommendation that her law license be suspended and the brief filed by Susan M. Humiston, Director of the Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board. Continue reading →

Fake news used by Grazzini-Rucki and her allies to distort the truth

May 8, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Media

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and her allies continue to use fake news and propaganda to distort the truth involving her criminal conviction. The latest example comes from Michael Volpe, who writes for Communities Digital News, and who also co-authored a book with Grazzini-Rucki’s family court attorney Michelle MacDonald about this case.

In a post published last Friday, Mr. Volpe repeated a false statement that David Rucki was present in the room with Samantha Rucki while she testified during her mother’s criminal trial last July.

The inaccurate claim that David Rucki and his sister, Dr. Tammy Love were in the room with Samantha when she testified has been continually used as a talking-point by supporters of Grazzini-Rucki since she was convicted for her role in the disappearance of her children.

Mr. Volpe is based in Chicago, Illinois and he disseminates Grazzini-Rucki’s propaganda masqueraded as news. He has never attended any of the court proceedings involving Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and the other adults charged and convicted for their role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki. Mr. Volpe is frequently interviewed with Grazzini-Rucki on podcasts about her criminal case and family court drama.

Continue reading →

532 days after the Rucki sisters were found, the initial criminal trials are over

May 3, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Deirdre Evavold, Douglas Dahlen, Gina Dahlen, Legal Developments, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

532 days after Samantha and Gianna Rucki were found on a ranch in rural Minnesota by the Lakeville Police Department on November 18, 2015, the initial stage of the criminal trials are over.

The Rucki sisters were taken by their mother Sandra Grazzini-Rucki in violation of a court order near their home in Lakeville, Minnesota on April 19, 2013.

David Rucki, was awarded full custody of all five of his children in November 2013, while two of his daughters remained missing. He was was reunited with his daughters days after they were found and they live with him at the family’s home in Lakeville.

Two defendants are appealing their criminal convictions, and below is a recap of the initial criminal trials.

Lakeville Police Department

The investigation into disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki was lead by the Lakeville Police Department. The Lakeville Police department coordinated the search for the missing sisters with other law enforcement agencies, including the United States Marshals Service.

In May 2016, Det. Jim Dronen received the Medal of Commendation from Lakeville Police Chief Jeff Long for his work in locating the missing Rucki sisters.

Dakota County Attorney’s Office

DakotaCountyJudicialCenter — Picture source: Missing in Minnesota

The Dakota County Attorney’s Office charged four people related to the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki: Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, Dede (Deirdre) Evavold, Douglas Dahlen and his wife, Gina Dahlen.

The decision by Doug and Gina Dahlen to plead guilty ensured that Assistant Dakota County Attorney Kathy Kenna successfully prosecuted all of the people criminally charged related to the disappearance of the Rucki sisters. Continue reading →

Doug and Gina Dahlen sentenced tomorrow for role in disappearance of Rucki sisters

May 1, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Douglas Dahlen, Gina Dahlen, Legal Developments

Doug and Gina Dahlen will be sentenced tomorrow at 9AM at the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings for their role in the disappearance of two sisters from Lakeville, Minnesota. On April 19, 2013, Samantha and Gianna Rucki disappeared during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents – Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and David Rucki.

The sisters were taken near their home in Lakeville by their mother in violation of a court order and were later driven to the Dahlen’s ranch in northern Minnesota by their mother, Grazzini-Rucki and her friend, Dede Evavold on April 21, 2013.

Doug and Gina Dahlen, who pleaded guilty in January, admitted in court that they knew David Rucki had been awarded custody of his children and that they failed to contact to David Rucki or law enforcement that the missing Rucki kids were living on their ranch. The Dahlens had each been charged with six felony counts for their role in the disappearance of the Rucki sisters.

By pleading guilty to one count, the remaining counts against the Dahlens were dismissed. Continue reading →

Short-changed: Dede Evavold has paid only $375 of $12K owed for restitution, fines, & fees

April 24, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Gina Dahlen, Legal Developments

Dede Evavold has only paid $375 of the $12,317 in restitution, fines, and fees assessed by Dakota County after she was convicted last year for her role in the disappearance of two sisters from Lakeville.

Evavold was charged in December 2015 related to her involvement in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki. The sisters were taken by their mother near their home on the night of April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents – Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and David Rucki.

She was convicted in September on six felony counts of deprivation of parental rights related to the disappearance of the girls. Evavold is appealing her conviction. Continue reading →

Dede Evavold posts picture of Rucki home on social media

April 14, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Deirdre Evavold, Legal Developments

Dede Evavold, who was released from jail in January after being found guilty for her role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki from Lakeville, posted a picture of the Rucki’s home on social media earlier today – a violation of the conditions of her probation.

Evavold was charged in December 2015 related to her involvement in the disappearance of the Rucki sisters, who were taken by their mother near their home on the night of April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents – Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and David Rucki.

She was convicted in September on six felony counts of deprivation of parental rights related to the disappearance of the girls.

A representative of the Rucki family said today Evavold’s behavior shows she does not comprehend the severity of her crimes, and that Evavold still poses a direct threat to the Rucki family and the general public.

The picture of the Rucki home posted by Evavold appears above, but I have digitally altered the picture to ensure privacy and safety for the Rucki family.

Continue reading →

Grazzini-Rucki announces lawsuit against ABC’s ’20/20′, Elizabeth Vargas

April 11, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Legal Developments, Media

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki announced last evening that she will be filing a defamation lawsuit against ABC, Inc, ABC’s “20/20”, and Elizabeth Vargas, the co-anchor of “20/20”.

Grazzini-Rucki’s announcement of the lawsuit comes one year after ABC’s “20/20” first broadcast of “Footprints in the Snow”, which focused on the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki. On March 25, 2017, ABC’s “20/20” rebroadcast the episode with updated information.

The sisters were taken by their mother near their home on the night of April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents – Grazzini-Rucki and David Rucki.

Grazzini-Rucki had tried to stop the rebroadcast of the episode which found no documentation to verify Grazzini-Rucki’s claim that she was abused by David Rucki. Grazzini-Rucki had taken to Facebook, calling the show “rank propaganda”and encouraging people to register complaints.

Public court records show that in the last ten years, Grazzini-Rucki has filed over 20 unsuccessful lawsuits in district, state, and federal court, including two petitions to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Grazzini-Rucki said last evening that she would be seeking “an ungodly amount” of money in her latest lawsuit. Continue reading →

Dede Evavold continues to flout conditions of her probation

April 5, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Deirdre Evavold, Legal Developments

Dede Evavold, who was released from jail in January after being found guilty for her role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki from Lakeville, continues to reference the Rucki family on social media – a likely violation of her probation.

She was convicted in September on six felony counts of deprivation of parental rights related to the disappearance of the girls. Continue reading →

Grazzini-Rucki critical of proclamation designating April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month

April 4, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, David Rucki

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, who was convicted last year on six felony counts related to the disappearance of her daughters, strongly criticized the proclamation designating April 2017 as National Child Abuse Prevention Month by President Donald Trump.

In violation of a court order, Samantha and Gianna Rucki were taken by their mother near their home on the night of April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents – Grazzini-Rucki and David Rucki.

On November 18, 2015 – 944 days after they disappeared – the girls were found living on a ranch in northern Minnesota by law enforcement, headed by the Lakeville Police Department.

Grazzini-Rucki critical that Trump’s proclamation honored child protective workers, law enforcement officials

In his proclamation issued on March 31, 2017, Trump listed groups of professionals “whose tireless work every day protects children”:

“We also honor foster and adoptive parents, child protective workers, faith leaders, community mentors, teachers, and law enforcement officials, whose tireless work every day protects children who have been tragically abused or neglected. Their often thankless service in these difficult and painful situations helps restore the safety and dignity of these wounded children and, in many cases, dramatically improves the course of their precious lives. As a Nation, we pledge to honor our commitment to protecting the vulnerable among us, not just this month, but every day of the year.”

After reading Trump’s entire proclamation during her interview, Grazzini-Rucki said the groups recognized by Trump “have single-handedly destroyed our children, and the future of America”:

“I think it is our obligation to inform our president, who I believe can make some changes, that all these people that he is giving credit to don’t deserve the credit and in fact, expect for a very few individuals… they’ve done nothing but harm children more, and I’m including CPS, foster parents, government workers, police departments, lawyers and judges. They have single-handedly destroyed our children, and the future of America.”

April has been designated National Child Abuse Prevention Month by every president since 1983. Continue reading →