Democratic Ex-Lawmaker Nicole Mitchell Sentenced
Becker County ( trfnews.i234.me ) – A former Democratic Minnesota lawmaker convicted of felony burglary will serve six months in jail, a Becker County judge ruled Monday, Sept. 23. The sentencing follows a July jury conviction of Nicole Mitchell on two felony charges.
Judge Michael Fritz handed down the sentence after a Becker County jury found Mitchell guilty of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary or theft tools. State law requires a minimum of six months in jail for a first-degree burglary conviction. The trial lasted five days and included witness testimony and police bodycam video from the night of the arrest.
The charges stemmed from an April 22, 2024, incident in Detroit Lakes. Prosecutors said Mitchell dressed in black, wore a stocking cap, and carried items such as a covered flashlight and a prybar before breaking into her stepmother’s home. During the trial, Mitchell testified that she entered the home to perform a welfare check on her stepmother, who has Alzheimer’s.
At sentencing, Mitchell apologized, saying: “I still love her, my kids still love her. If she ever wants a relationship again, that door is open, but I messed everything up.”
Prosecutors read a victim impact statement from Carol Mitchell, the stepmother, who said she continues to live in fear since the break-in. “The fear is with me to stay, I’m flabbergasted by Nicole’s actions, and I’m concerned about her mental health,” the statement read. Two other family members also addressed the court about the impact of the incident.
Mitchell will serve her sentence in Ramsey County, closer to her children, and will be eligible for work release. Her attorneys asked the court to reduce the felony convictions to misdemeanors and delay jail time while they challenge a precedent-setting ruling on burglary sentencing. Judge Fritz denied both requests.
The case gained statewide attention, as Mitchell resigned from the Minnesota Senate a week after her conviction. The former Democratic-Farmer-Labor senator from Woodbury faced ethics hearings and contentious floor debates before stepping down.
More details on Minnesota’s burglary laws can be found at the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News
Nicole Mitchell