Nicole Mitchell Sentenced to 180 Days; 21‑Month Stay

Former Minnesota state Sen. Nicole Mitchell was convicted in July of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools for breaking into her stepmother’s Detroit Lakes home in April 2024 and resigned her Senate seat after the verdict. Becker County Judge Michael Fritz imposed a 21-month sentence but stayed all but 180 days, ordered Mitchell to serve the 180 days on work release at the Ramsey County Jail, and placed her on five years of supervised probation. The judge warned that a probation violation could trigger the remaining 21 months; under Minnesota law she must serve two-thirds of the 180-day term (about four months). The judge allowed her to report to work release on Oct. 1 so she can keep her job; prosecutors had sought a stiffer penalty and for her to serve time in Becker County, while her defense asked for reductions and local placement near her children. The stepmother criticized the sentence as too light, the parties dispute restitution of about $23,585, and Mitchell was not remanded after sentencing.