Nicole Mitchell, a former Minnesota state senator, was sentenced to six months in prison for breaking into her stepmother’s house. The 180-day sentence will be served on work release, allowing Mitchell to leave prison daily for employment. She faced up to 20 years in prison after being convicted of first-degree burglary.
Mitchell, a former TV meteorologist and Air National Guard commander, was caught sneaking into her stepmother’s home in Detroit Lakes in April 2024. Surveillance footage showed her dressed entirely in black, including a cap, as she crawled around the bedroom floor. “I messed everything up,” Mitchell told the court during her sentencing hearing. She admitted to fleeing when her stepmother discovered her and acknowledged her actions were unjustified.
Becker County District Judge Michael Fritz approved Mitchell’s work release sentence, which will be served in Ramsey County where she resides. Her attorneys stated she recently began working at a fast-food restaurant. The judge ordered her to report for custody by Oct. 8, with the possibility of early release after four months. A 21-month prison term was suspended on condition she complies with probation terms.
Prosecutors criticized the leniency of the sentence and Mitchell’s refusal to resign her Senate seat until July 25, weeks after her conviction. Becker County Attorney Brian McDonald condemned what he called “preferential treatment” for allowing Mitchell to serve her sentence outside Becker County. The case led to a special election in November to fill her vacant legislative seat in a Democratic-leaning district.
