Date Archives March 2018

Michelle MacDonald’s law license ‘conditionally reinstated’

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Michelle MacDonald’s law license ‘conditionally reinstated’

Michelle MacDonald’s law license has been “conditionally reinstated” by the Minnesota Supreme Court effective today subject to her completion of the written portion of the Bar exam “on the subject of professional responsibility…”

MacDonald will remain on supervised probation for two years with numerous conditions limiting her practice of law.

MacDonald has until January 17, 2019, to provide verification that she has completed the written portion of the Bar exam “on the subject of professional responsibility…” or she will be automatically re-suspended “pending proof of successful completion of the examination…”

A judicial referee appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court recommended last year that MacDonald’s law license be suspended for a minimum of 60 days, followed by two years of probation, in response to an attorney complaint filed against MacDonald in August 2016.

The conditions of MacDonald’s two-year probation include that she will be supervised by an attorney appointed by the Director of the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility.

MacDonald is prohibited from engaging in “the solo practice of law,” and she must “work in a setting where she is in daily contact with, and under the direct supervision of another Minnesota licensed attorney.” Continue reading →

Grazzini-Rucki falsely claimed she was homeless when jailed in Florida

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Grazzini-Rucki falsely claimed she was homeless when jailed in Florida

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki falsely told law enforcement at Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office in Clearwater, Florida that she was homeless despite living in a nearby waterfront estate community.

After a warrant was issued for her arrest Monday, Grazzini-Rucki turned herself in at approximately 9:00 PM on Tuesday evening at the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office which is located just seven miles away from her home in Clearwater, Florida

Picture source: Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
Picture source: Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office

According to public court documents and staff at the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Grazzini-Rucki claimed she was homeless when being booked into custody.

Grazzini-Rucki had her first appearance yesterday at 1:30 PM at the Pinellas County Justice Center in Clearwater, Florida.

In July 2016, Grazzini-Rucki was found guilty on six counts of deprivation of parental rights for her role in the disappearance of her daughters.

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.

On November 18, 2015, the girls were found living on a ranch in northern Minnesota by law enforcement, headed by the Lakeville Police Department.

The Rucki sisters were missing for a total of 944 days and were reunited with their father days after they were found.

They continue to live with their father and other siblings at the family’s home in Lakeville. Continue reading →

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki in custody in Florida

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Sandra Grazzini-Rucki in custody in Florida

UPDATE (10:30 AM, Thursday, March 29, 2018) – According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office in Clearwater, Florida, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki remains in custody. Grazzini-Rucki will be transferred back to Minnesota, but there is no public information at this time as to when she will appear in Minnesota to be re-sentenced. Stay tuned for updates.

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UPDATE (8:44 AM, Wednesday, March 28, 2018) – According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office in Clearwater, Florida, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki was booked into custody at 9:26 PM EST.

There is no information at this time as to when she will be transported back to Minnesota. Stay tuned for updates.

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UPDATE (5:52 AM, Wednesday, March 28, 2018) – Sandra Grazzini-Rucki is in custody at the Pinellas County Jail in Clearwater, Florida, after a warrant was issued for her arrest when she failed to appear at her re-sentencing hearing on Monday related to her 2016 conviction on six counts of deprivation of parental rights for her role in the disappearance of her daughters.

According to the jail roster, Grazzini-Rucki was booked into the Pinellas County Jail in Clearwater, Florida late last evening.

No other information is available at this time as to how Grazzini-Rucki was apprehended by law enforcement in Florida.

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.

On November 18, 2015, the girls were found living on a ranch in northern Minnesota by law enforcement, headed by the Lakeville Police Department.

The Rucki sisters were missing for a total of 944 days and were reunited with their father days after they were found.

They continue to live with their father and other siblings at the family’s home in Lakeville.

‘Homeless’ Sandra Grazzini-Rucki using an alias and living in waterfront estate community in Florida

SandraGrazziniRuckiJackAuldIn January, Missing in Minnesota published information based on public records which showed that a person named “Jaclyn Auld” with the same birthday as Grazzini-Rucki was residing with Jack Auld in Clearwater, Florida.

Grazzini-Rucki’s address was also recently updated in the public court file to Auld’s Florida home after court documents sent to Grazzini-Rucki’s previous mailing address were returned to the court by the United States Postal Service (USPS) with Grazzini-Rucki’s new Florida address.

Grazzini-Rucki had been using the residential address of her family court attorney Michelle MacDonald as her mailing address. Based on records with the USPS, the mail forwarding service expired on December 14, 2017.

Auld was with Grazzini-Rucki at the Star Island Resort and Club in Kissimmee, Florida on October 18, 2015, when she was located by the United States Marshals Service a month before Samantha and Gianna Rucki were found.

Mr. Auld had reportedly cooperated with law enforcement and helped lead them to Grazzini-Rucki.

Auld has described Grazzini-Rucki as his “best friend” and “soul mate.”

Follow Missing in Minnesota on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news on Grazzini-Rucki’s next court appearance in Minnesota.

Allison Mann contributed to this story.

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki to be re-sentenced tomorrow

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Sandra Grazzini-Rucki to be re-sentenced tomorrow

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki will be re-sentenced tomorrow after the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled Grazzini-Rucki could execute the remainder of her criminal sentence.

She later appealed her criminal conviction to the Minnesota Supreme Court, but the court rejected her petition.

Grazzini-Rucki will appear in court tomorrow at 9:00 AM at the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings, Minnesota.

In July 2016, Grazzini-Rucki was found guilty on six counts of deprivation of parental rights for her role in the disappearance of her daughters.

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.

On November 18, 2015, the girls were found living on a ranch in northern Minnesota by law enforcement, headed by the Lakeville Police Department.

The Rucki sisters were missing for a total of 944 days and were reunited with their father days after they were found. They continue to live with their father and other siblings at the family’s home in Lakeville.

Since being convicted in July 2016 on six felony counts of deprivation of parental rights, Grazzini-Rucki, and her supporters have continued their behavior of making false allegations against David Rucki, his family, the media, law enforcement, and the judiciary.

Her disdain for law enforcement and the court system has become more flagrant, her rhetoric more incendiary, and her behavior increasingly dangerous.

Grazzini-Rucki is currently on probation for her role in the disappearance of her children, which she has repeatedly violated. Last March, Grazzini-Rucki announced that she and others would be targeting the family members of judges, attorneys, and county staff, including their children. Continue reading →

Court orders Dede Evavold to remain in jail overnight

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Court orders Dede Evavold to remain in jail overnight

Dede Evavold will be held in jail overnight until a court hearing tomorrow after a judge in Dakota County declined to release Evavold after she appeared in court this morning for her first hearing after being arrested on Sunday on an outstanding warrant.

The warrant was issued after Evavold ignored a previous court order issued by Judge Kathleen Gearin which ordered Evavold to “remove ALL blogs/postings, social media postings, or internet postings” about David Rucki, his children, and other members of the Rucki family which violate a Harassment Restraining Order.

During the brief bail hearing at the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings, Evavold argued with Judge Christopher J. Lehmann, demanding that she be released on her own recognizance.

DarinEvavoldDakotaCounty03202018CropSmallerJust after 10:15 AM, Dede’s husband Darin Evavold, arrived at the courthouse with a laptop and went into the courtroom.

During the hearing, with his wife behind security glass, Darin stood up and frantically waved the laptop in an attempt to show they were working to comply with Judge Gearin’s order.

Darin Evavold admitted that Dede has not yet fully complied with Judge Gearin’s order, which was issued on March 1, 2018.

Both Dede and Darin Evavold were visibly angry at the conclusion of the court hearing.

Darin Evavold later left the courthouse with the laptop and yelled across the parking lot while he was photographed by media walking to his car.

Evavold was convicted in September 2016 of six felonies for her role in the disappearance of Samantha Rucki and her sister Gianna, who were abducted near their home on Lakeville by their mother Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, during a custody and divorce proceeding.

Since her release from jail in January 2017, Evavold has repeatedly ignored the conditions of her probation and court orders by making repeated references to the Rucki family in her use of social media.

Continue reading →

Court orders arrest warrant be issued for Dede Evavold

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Court orders arrest warrant be issued for Dede Evavold

A judge in Dakota County has ordered that a warrant be issued “immediately” for the arrest and detention  of Dede Evavold after she ignored a previous court order from March 1, 2018, which ordered Evavold to “remove ALL blogs/postings, social media postings, or internet postings” about David Rucki, his children, and other members of the Rucki family which violate a Harassment Restraining Order.

Judge Kathleen Gearin ordered Evavold to remove the content by 9:00 AM on March 9, 2018, or report to jail in Dakota County.

As of 9:00 AM on March 9, Evavold had not removed the content, nor had she reported to jail in Dakota County, as ordered by Judge Kathleen Gearin.

Not only did Evavold ignore a court order to “remove ALL” posts about the Rucki family from her blog and social media accounts, but she also published new material on March 9.

After Evavold missed the 9:00 AM deadline detailed in Judge Gearin’s order, the attorney for the Rucki family, Lisa Elliott, filed an Affidavit of Non-Compliance with the court because Evavold did not comply with Judge Gearin’s order.

Elliott also requested that a warrant be immediately issued for Evavold’s arrest for failure to comply with Judge Gearin’s order.

Judge Gearin signed the order that an arrest warrant be issued for Evavold yesterday afternoon.

Evavold was convicted in September 2016 of six felonies for her role in the disappearance of Samantha Rucki and her sister Gianna, who were abducted near their home on Lakeville by their mother Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, during a custody and divorce proceeding. Continue reading →

Dede Evavold ignores court order to remove all posts about Rucki family, fails to report to jail

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Dede Evavold ignores court order to remove all posts about Rucki family, fails to report to jail

Dede Evavold ignored a court order issued by Judge Kathleen Gearin in Dakota County last week which ordered Evavold to “remove ALL blogs/postings, social media postings, or internet postings” about David Rucki, his children, and other members of the Rucki family which violate a Harassment Restraining Order by 9:00 AM today, or report to jail in Dakota County.

DakotaCountyLawEnforcementCenterSmallAs of 9:00 AM, Evavold had not removed the content, nor had she reported to jail in Dakota County.

After Evavold missed the 9:00 AM deadline detailed in Judge Gearin’s order, the attorney for the Rucki family, Lisa Elliott, filed an Affidavit of Non-Compliance with the court because Evavold did not comply with Judge Gearin’s order.

Elliott also requested that a warrant be immediately issued for Evavold’s arrest for failure to comply with Judge Gearin’s order.

As of 3:30 PM, Evavold’s blog, and social media accounts are still filled with posts and content about the Rucki family.

The request for an arrest warrant for Evavold had not been signed by the court.

Evavold was convicted in September 2016 of six felonies for her role in the disappearance of Samantha Rucki and her sister Gianna, who were abducted near their home on Lakeville by their mother Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, during a custody and divorce proceeding. Continue reading →

Dede Evavold ordered to remove all posts about Rucki family, or go to jail

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Dede Evavold ordered to remove all posts about Rucki family, or go to jail

A judge in Dakota County ordered Dede Evavold to “remove ALL blogs/postings, social media postings, or internet postings” about David Rucki, his children, and other members of the Rucki family which violate a Harassment Restraining Order granted by a court in Dakota County in the next eight days or she will go to jail for 30 days.

On Tuesday, Judge Kathleen Gearin found Evavold was in constructive civil contempt of court at an emergency hearing held at Dakota County Western Service Center in Apple Valley, Minnesota.

Evavold was convicted in September 2016 of six felonies for her role in the disappearance of Samantha Rucki and her sister Gianna, who were abducted near their home on Lakeville by their mother Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, during a custody and divorce proceeding.

The emergency court hearing was scheduled after Lisa Elliott, who serves as the attorney for the Rucki family, filed an emergency motion with the court earlier this month which included over 200 pages of exhibits documenting Evavold’s repeated violations of a Harassment Restraining Order (HRO).

Elliott’s exhibits documented nearly 20 posts published on Evavold’s blog which violated the HRO since the last court hearing on December 13, 2017. At the court hearing, Evavold was reminded by Judge Philip Kanning that the HRO granted by Judge Karen Asphaug in July remains in effect.

In a court order released this afternoon, Judge Gearin went further than the posts identified by Elliott by ordering Evavold to “remove ALL blogs/postings, social media postings, or internet postings that refer to the Rucki family as named in the Harassment Restraining Order…”

If Evavold does not remove the posts by March 9, 2018, at 9:00 AM she will go to jail for 30 days. Continue reading →