Date Archives November 2016

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki released from jail

November 30, 2016 Comments Off read Legal Developments, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki was released from jail on Monday after being held in custody since early November for multiple probation violations.

At a court hearing at the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings, Judge Karen Asphaug again determined that Grazzini-Rucki had violated her probation since being released from jail in October.

Judge Asphaug placed Grazzini-Rucki on “court-supervised probation” because Grazzini-Rucki repeatedly refused to provide Dakota County Community Corrections (DCCC) with a verifiable address and she would not comply with GPS monitoring.

DCCC will no longer supervise Grazzini-Rucki except to determine whether Grazzini-Rucki has completed her required 12 days of Sentencing of Service for the next six years.

Starting in 2017, Grazzini-Rucki will begin serving 15 days in jail on November 18 – the anniversary of the day her daughters were found – for the next six years.

In July, Grazzini-Rucki was found guilty on six counts of deprivation of parental rights for her role in the disappearance of her daughters, Samantha and Gianna Rucki. The sisters ran from their home on April 19, 2013 during a custody and divorce proceeding involving their parents.

The girls’ father, David Rucki, was awarded full custody of all five of his children in November 2013, while two of his daughters remained missing.

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Additional criminal charges filed in disappearance of missing Lakeville sisters

November 22, 2016 Comments Off read Douglas Dahlen, Gina Dahlen, Legal Developments

The Dakota County Attorney’s Office has filed additional criminal charges against Doug and Gina Dahlen for their involvement in the disappearance of two sisters from Lakeville.

Four additional felony charges of deprivation of parental rights have been filed against the Dahlens, who have now been charged with a total of six felony counts for their role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki.

The girls disappeared on April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents.

On November 18, 2015 – 944 days after they disappeared – the girls were found living on the Dahlens’ ranch in northern Minnesota by law enforcement, headed by the Lakeville Police Department.

According to the amended criminal complaints, Samantha and Gianna Rucki were delivered to the Dahlen’s residence at the White Horse Ranch in northern Minnesota on April 21, 2013, by the girls’ mother, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and her friend, Dede Evavold.

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Another arrest warrant issued for Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

November 18, 2016 Comments Off read Legal Developments, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

For the second time this month, a warrant had been issued for the arrest of Sandra Grazzini-Rucki for violating conditions of her probation.

Earlier this week, Grazzini-Rucki was ordered to provide the Dakota County Community Corrections (DCCC) with her residential address and wear a GPS monitor until DCCC was able to verify her residential address.

But Grazzini-Rucki is physically refusing to allow a GPS monitor to be attached to her leg and she will not provide DCCC with her current residential address.

A warrant was issued for Grazzini-Rucki’s arrest yesterday and a probation violation hearing has been scheduled for next Monday at the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings.

The girls’ father, David Rucki, was awarded full custody of all five of his children in November 2013, while two of his daughters remained missing.

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Evavold sentenced to jail, probation for role in disappearance of Rucki sisters

November 10, 2016 Comments Off read Deirdre Evavold, Legal Developments

Dede Evavold was sentenced today in Dakota County to serve 180 days in jail and she will remain on probation for the next eight years for her role in the disappearance of two sisters from Lakeville.

Evavold was charged last December related to her involvement in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki who ran from their home on April 19, 2013, during a custody and divorce dispute involving their parents. She was found guilty in September on six felony counts of deprivation of parental rights related to the disappearance the girls.

Judge Karen Asphaug said Evavold “showed no remorse or comprehension” for her actions against the Rucki family, adding that Evavold’s actions “disrupted a family for 944 days.”

Evavold is a close friend and confidant of Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, the mother of the Rucki sisters, who she met during Grazzini-Rucki’s divorce with David Rucki. In July, Grazzini-Rucki was found guilty on six counts of deprivation of parental rights for her involvement in the disappearance of her daughters.

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Court again denies Grazzini-Rucki’s request to execute sentence

November 8, 2016 Comments Off read Legal Developments, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki appeared in court today at the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings today for a hearing about her alleged probation violation.

Grazzini-Rucki has been jail since last week after a warrant was issued for her arrest because she allegedly failed to “maintain contact with probation” and she failed “to notify probation within 72 hours of any change in address, employment, and phone number.”

At the hearing today, Grazzini-Rucki made another request to Judge Karen Asphaug to execute her sentence by continuing to remain in jail, rather than serving probation. Grazzini-Rucki is now being represented by a public defender, as her criminal defense attorney, Stephen Grigsby, withdrew as her attorney last month.

Judge Asphaug denied Grazzini-Rucki’s request to execute her sentence, as she did at a hearing in October.

Throughout the brief hearing, Grazzini-Rucki acted inappropriately in court.

Grazzini-Rucki smiled and giggled during the proceedings, especially after Judge Asphaug denied her request to execute her sentence. The judge also instructed Grazzini-Rucki to pay attention to the proceedings, as Grazzini-Rucki kept looking into the gallery of the courtroom at two of her supporters.

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Judge: probable cause to believe MacDonald violated campaign law

November 4, 2016 Comments Off read Legal Developments, Michelle MacDonald

Just days before the election, Judge Jessica A. Palmer-Denig has ordered there is probable cause to believe Michelle MacDonald violated the Minnesota Fair Campaign Practices Act by falsely claiming her current campaign for the Minnesota Supreme Court had received the endorsement of the Republican Party of Minnesota.

Judge Palmer-Denig held a hearing earlier this week on the complaint filed against MacDonald by Barbara Linert of Eagan and Steve Timmer of Edina, who claim MacDonald provided false information to the Star Tribune for publication in their “Voter Guide.”

Complaint alleges MacDonald’s false claim of endorsement was a “knowing and intentional violation” of campaign laws

In 2014, MacDonald was the Republican endorsed candidate for the Minnesota Supreme Court against Justice David Lillehaug. MacDonald lost to Lillehaug by just 7 points — 53 percent to 46 percent in November 2014.

Earlier this year, MacDonald announced she would run again for the Minnesota Supreme Court, but she was not endorsed by the Republican Party of Minnesota after Republicans decided not to endorse judicial candidates.

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Sandra Grazzini-Rucki back in jail for violating probation

November 3, 2016 Comments Off read Analysis, Legal Developments, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki is back in jail, as she surrendered to authorities in Washington County last evening after a warrant was issued for her arrest yesterday for violating her probation.

Court staff in Washington County confirmed Grazzini-Rucki was in custody, but she was not scheduled to appear in front of a judge today. Grazzini-Rucki has since been transferred from Washington County to the supervision of Dakota County.

According to court documents filed in Dakota County, an arrest warrant was issued for Grazzini-Rucki because she failed to “maintain contact with probation” and she failed “to notify probation within 72 hours of any change in address, employment, and phone number.”

The girls’ father, David Rucki, was awarded full custody of all five of his children in November 2013, while two of his daughters remained missing.

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Arrest warrant issued for Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

November 2, 2016 Comments Off read Legal Developments, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

According to court documents filed in Dakota County, an arrest warrant was issued for Sandra Grazzini-Rucki because she failed to “maintain contact with probation” and she failed “to notify probation within 72 hours of any change in address, employment, and phone number.”

Grazzini-Rucki was released from jail last week, finishing the first portion of her jail sentence which will continue over the next six years. Below is the order from Dakota County granting the request for a warrant to be issued for Grazzini-Rucki’s arrest.

The girls’ father, David Rucki, was awarded full custody of all five of his children in November 2013, while two of his daughters remained missing.

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