Former Minnesota senator Nicole Mitchell sentenced to work-release for burglary

A former Minnesota state senator, Nicole Mitchell, was sentenced Tuesday to 180 days of work release on first-degree burglary and related charges, a penalty far lighter than the 20-year maximum prosecutors sought.

Mitchell, a former television meteorologist and commander in the Air National Guard, resigned from the Senate a week after her July conviction. The case stems from an April 2024 incident at her stepmother Carol Mitchell's home in Detroit Lakes, about 220 miles northwest of the Twin Cities. Surveillance video showed Mitchell dressed entirely in black, including a cap, crawling around the bedroom floor. She initially claimed she was there to check on her stepmother and collect her late father's ashes, but later testified that she should not have been there.

Becker County District Court Judge issued the sentence Sept. 23, 2025. Mitchell will serve 180 days of work release, meaning she can leave the facility each day to work, alongside five years of supervised probation. If she violates probation, she would face a 21-month prison term. Prosecutors had sought a longer prison sentence, but the court ordered the shorter term combined with the probation arrangement.

During the hearing, Mitchell showed little emotion. She told the court, "I messed everything up," and added, "I deserve to be here today. … I did something wrong and I will work on being a better person." Those statements were among several remarks in which she acknowledged fault while maintaining a composed demeanor throughout much of the proceedings.

Mitchell resigned from the Senate on July 25, 2025, a week after her conviction. She was elected in 2022 to represent the 47th District, which includes the Twin Cities suburbs of Woodbury and Maplewood. The seat is currently vacant, with a special election scheduled for Nov. 4, 2025. Mitchell's case has drawn scrutiny of how public officials are investigated and punished for offenses, and it underscores the legal process that followed the July verdict on charges of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools.

The misconduct, the defense argued, was not only a breach of law but a breach of public trust in Minnesota politics. Mitchell testified that she had learned from the experience and planned to comply with the court-ordered conditions and obligations that come with her probation. The verdict and sentence mark a dramatic turn in a political career that had included service in the Air National Guard and a previous career in broadcasting.

The district she represented remains without a sitting senator until the November election, a result that underscores how a single incident can alter the political landscape and trigger procedural steps such as resignations and special elections. The court record indicates that Mitchell will continue to comply with probation terms and participate in any mandated programs or restitution required by the order, while the community and party officials monitor the implementation of the sentence and the election process.