Nicole Mitchell, a former Minnesota state senator, was sentenced to six months in prison for breaking into her stepmother’s house.

Mitchell, a Democrat, will be allowed to serve her 180-day sentence on work release.

She faced up to 20 years in prison after being convicted of first-degree burglary, the New York Post noted.

Alpha News provided coverage from the courtroom:

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However, the former commander in the Air National Guard was sentenced on Tuesday to just 180 days of work release, meaning she can leave prison each day to work — far less than what prosecutors sought, according to KSTP.

“I messed everything up,” Mitchell told the court, remaining emotionless throughout most of her sentencing hearing.

“I deserve to be here today. … I did something wrong and I will work on being a better person.”

Mitchell, who was also a former TV meteorologist, was caught sneaking around her stepmother’s home in Detroit Lakes — 220 miles northwest of the Twin Cities — in April 2024.

Wild video showed her dressed all in black — including a cap — as she crawled around the bedroom floor.

“Once I was there and she woke up and bumped into me and felt me and started to yell, I thought she knew it was me. I was a coward and I ran,” Mitchell said.

“I deserve whatever she would’ve yelled at me. Whatever she had to say to me at that point would’ve been 100 percent justified,” she added.

 

The Associated Press provided further info:

Becker County District Judge Michael Fritz agreed to let Mitchell serve her 180-day sentence on work release in Ramsey County, where she lives. Her attorneys said the former broadcast and military meteorologist recently got a job working at a fast-food restaurant.

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The judge ordered Mitchell to report for her sentence by Oct. 8. Minnesota defendants typically serve two-thirds of their sentence in custody and one-third on supervised release, so she could be free in four months. The judge stayed a 21-month prison sentence on the condition that she abides by the terms of her probation.

The prosecutor, Becker County Attorney Brian McDonald objected to what he called :preferential treatment” by letting her serve her sentence outside Becker County. He also criticized her for a lack of accountability and refusing to resign.

Mitchell didn’t resign her Senate seat until July 25, one week after a jury convicted her of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools.

Gov. Tim Walz called special elections on November 4th to fill the vacant seat in the Democratic-leaning suburban district.

 

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