Posts by Allison Mann

Jay Bukstein appears in court on restraining order violation

June 4, 2019 Comments Off read Kimberley and Jay Bukstein, Legal Developments

Jay Bukstein was arranged in court today on one criminal charge of violating a Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) filed against him in Dakota County by Michael Brodkorb. Bukstein violated the conditions of the HRO less than 90 minutes after a judge in Dakota County upheld the HRO filed by Brodkorb against Jay Bukstein.

During a hearing this morning at the Dakota County Northern Service Center in West St. Paul, Minnesota, Bukstein did not enter a plea and a pre-trial hearing was scheduled for September 10, 2019.

Brodkorb was granted HROs against Kimberley and Jay Bukstein in March after they harassed Brodkorb for the past year. Jay Bukstein was criminally charged in April for violating the HRO.

Kimberley and Jay Bukstein have been supporters of Dede Evavold, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, and Michelle MacDonald. Both Kimberley and Jay Bukstein are also “qualified” Rule 114 ADR Neutrals for the Minnesota State Court Administrator’s Office. The Buksteins are referenced in the award-winning true crime book, The Girls Are Gone, which was written by Brodkorb and Allison Mann.

In an unrelated criminal case, Dede Evavold was criminally charged last week with violating a separate HRO granted to protect Brodkorb and his family from Evavold’s harassment. According to public court documents filed in Dakota County, Evavold is scheduled to be arraigned in court on July 30, 2019.

Please follow Missing in Minnesota on Twitter and Facebook for updates on the legal developments.

Criminal charge filed against Dede Evavold for violating restraining order

May 28, 2019 Comments Off read Deirdre Evavold, Legal Developments

Dede Evavold has been criminally charged for violating a Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) filed against her in Dakota County by Michael Brodkorb and his family.

Evavold was charged last week after she attempted to contact Michael Brodkorb for assistance in restarting her blog after WordPress suspended it for violating their terms of service.

Brodkorb was granted an HRO against Evavold last year for her involvement in surreptitiously obtaining and later distributing a photograph of Brodkorb’s wife and minor children online.

Michael and Sarah Brodkorb filed the HROs in Dakota County against Diane Ristau of Medford, Carrie Beaudette of St. Joseph, and Evavold, who lives in St. Cloud.

The photograph of Ms. Brodkorb with her minor children was distributed multiple times with false allegations on a social media account connected to Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and her supporters.

The same social media account had been investigated by law enforcement for publishing threatening, harassing, and defamatory statements targeting judges, law enforcement, court staff, and journalists. Continue reading →

Criminal charge filed against Jay Bukstein for violating restraining order

April 12, 2019 Comments Off read Kimberley and Jay Bukstein, Legal Developments

Jay Bukstein has been criminally charged for violating a Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) filed against him in Dakota County by Michael Brodkorb. Bukstein violated the conditions of the HRO less than 90 minutes after a judge in Dakota County upheld the HRO filed by Brodkorb against Jay Bukstein.

Last month, Brodkorb was granted HROs against Kimberley and Jay Bukstein after they harassed Brodkorb for the past year.

Kimberley and Jay Bukstein have been supporters of Dede Evavold, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, and Michelle MacDonald. Both Kimberley and Jay Bukstein are also “qualified” Rule 114 ADR Neutrals for the Minnesota State Court Administrator’s Office. The Buksteins are referenced in the new best-selling true crime book, The Girls Are Gone, which was written by Brodkorb and Allison Mann.

According to public court documents filed in Dakota County, Jay Bukstein is scheduled to be arraigned in court on June 4, 2019. The HROs against the Buksteins remain in effect until March 14, 2021.

Please follow Missing in Minnesota on Twitter and Facebook for updates on the legal developments involving Kimberley and Jay Bukstein.

Judge dismisses harassment order filed against Brodkorb

November 30, 2018 Comments Off read Legal Developments, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, The Girls Are Gone

A judge in Pinellas County, Florida this morning dismissed the harassment order filed by Sandra Grazzini-Rucki against Michael Brodkorb.

The Temporary Injunction for Protection Against Stalking which was served on Brodkorb in October was dismissed at a court hearing earlier today in Clearwater, Florida by Judge Christopher LaBruzzo. Grazzini-Rucki first alleged Brodkorb was harassing her in Florida just one hour after Brodkorb appeared on the radio in Minnesota with his writing partner, Allison Mann, to announce the release of their new book, The Girls Are Gone.

Brodkorb has never been to Florida, nor did he travel to Florida for the hearing. His attorney, Marie Sartiano Schoeb, filed a motion to dismiss the harassment order and argued today in court that Florida lacked “personal jurisdiction” over Brodkorb and therefore the harassment order should be dismissed.

The court agreed and the Temporary Injunction for Protection Against Stalking was dismissed. Grazzini-Rucki now resides in Clearwater, Florida and she attended today’s hearing. Brodkorb was in Minnesota and would have testified over the phone if required by the court. But the court did not need any testimony from Brodkorb to dismiss the harassment order filed by Grazzini-Rucki.

Brodkorb said today he was happy the harassment order was dismissed. “I’ve never harassed Ms. Grazzini-Rucki in any state and I’m glad the court dismissed her latest efforts to silence the media,” said Brodkorb. “I want to thank my attorney, Ms. Schoeb, for her legal analysis and counsel,” added Brodkorb.

Ms. Sartiano Schoeb is a partner at the Law Offices of Morrison & Schoeb in Tampa, Florida. Continue reading →

Judge: Evavold involved in harassment of Brodkorb’s wife and children

November 19, 2018 Comments Off read Deirdre Evavold, Legal Developments, Missing in Minnesota

A judge in Dakota County upheld the Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) granted against Dede Evavold by Michael Brodkorb and Sarah Brodkorb for Evavold’s involvement in distributing a photograph of Michael Brodkorb’s wife and minor children.

In an order released today, Judge M. Michael Baxter ruled that Evavold “was involved in the chain of events that led to repeated harassment of [Sarah Brodkorb] and her minor children.” The HRO against Evavold will remain in place until November 19, 2020.

The photograph of Ms. Brodkorb with her minor children was distributed multiple times with false allegations on a social media account connected to Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and her supporters. The same social media account had been investigated by law enforcement for publishing threatening, harassing, and defamatory statements targeting judges, law enforcement, court staff, and journalists.

The HROs were filed by Michael Brodkorb and Sarah Brodkorb in August in Dakota County against Diane Ristau of Medford, Carrie Beaudette of St. Joseph, and Dede Evavold of St. Cloud.

In September, Judge Baxter upheld the HRO filed against Ristau after she requested a hearing to contest the HRO. Judge Baxter said Ristau was involved in a “conspiracy to commit harassment” when she took a picture of Ms. Brodkorb and her minor children while shopping and later distributed the picture to people connected to Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and Dede Evavold. Continue reading →

Grazzini-Rucki files another fraudulent harassment restraining order

October 2, 2018 Comments Off read Legal Developments, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, The Girls Are Gone

Weeks before the release of a new book about her role in the disappearance of her daughters, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki has filed another fraudulent harassment order against one of the book’s authors, Michael Brodkorb.

Earlier today, the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office served a Temporary Injunction for Protection Against Stalking on Brodkorb at his home in Eagan, Minnesota. The petition was filed in Pinellas County, Florida by Sandra Grazzini-Rucki on September 26, 2018. Grazzini-Rucki moved back to her home in Florida this past June.

Grazzini-Rucki was convicted in 2016 on six counts of deprivation of parental rights for her role in the disappearance of her daughters.

In the petition requesting the injunction, Grazzini-Rucki falsely claims Brodkorb recently followed her, in Florida, in a black vehicle with Minnesota license plates. Brodkorb does not own a black vehicle, nor has he never been to Florida. Brodkorb was in Minnesota during the time Grazzini-Rucki claimed he was in Florida. Also in the petition are claims that Brodkorb has cyberstalked Grazzini-Rucki.

A court hearing on the petition filed by Grazzini-Rucki is scheduled for next Friday, October 12, 2018, at 10:30 AM in Clearwater, Florida. Continue reading →

Judge: Ristau involved in a ‘conspiracy to commit harassment’

September 27, 2018 Comments Off read Deirdre Evavold, Legal Developments, Missing in Minnesota

A judge in Dakota County upheld the Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) granted against Diane Ristau by Michael Brodkorb and Sarah Brodkorb for Ristau’s involvement in surreptitiously obtaining and later distributing a photograph of Michael Brodkorb’s wife and minor children.

At the end of the three-hour court hearing at the Dakota County Western Service Center in Apple Valley, Minnesota, Judge M. Michael Baxter said Ristau was involved in a “conspiracy to commit harassment” when she took a picture of Ms. Brodkorb and her minor children while shopping and later distributed the picture to people connected to Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and Dede Evavold.

The HRO against Ristau remains in effect until September 25, 2020. Continue reading →

Restraining orders granted for distributing photograph of Michael Brodkorb’s family

August 30, 2018 Comments Off read Deirdre Evavold, Legal Developments, Missing in Minnesota

A judge in Dakota County granted a Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) today against three people, including Dede Evavold, for their roles in surreptitiously obtaining and later distributing a photograph of Michael Brodkorb’s wife and minor children online.

The HROs were filed by Michael Brodkorb and Sarah Brodkorb in Dakota County against Diane Ristau of Medford, Carrie Beaudette of St. Joseph, and Dede Evavold of St. Cloud.

The photograph of Ms. Brodkorb with her minor children was distributed multiple times with false allegations on a social media account connected to Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and her supporters.

The HROs remain in effect until August 30, 2020. Continue reading →

MacDonald sues Michael Brodkorb and Missing in Minnesota

June 14, 2018 Comments Off read Legal Developments, Michelle MacDonald

Michelle MacDonald served a lawsuit today on Michael Brodkorb, and Missing in Minnesota, alleging defamation, defamation per se, and defamation by implication.

MacDonald is suing in part over the publication of a booking photo from her arrest during a court hearing involving Sandra Grazzini-Rucki on September 12, 2013, as well as our reporting that she was labeled a “person of interest” by the Lakeville Police Department in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki.

Missing in Minnesota has been threatened with legal action since 2016 by MacDonald over the use of her public booking from her arrest. In her own book, MacDonald acknowledged that law enforcement considered her a “person of interest” in the disappearance of the Rucki sisters. Continue reading →

Dede Evavold may have violated her probation again

May 23, 2018 Comments Off read Analysis, Deirdre Evavold

Dede Evavold, who may have her probation revoked next month, may have violated her probation again by having contact with co-defendant Sandra Grazzini-Rucki.

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 Grazzini-Rucki, during a custody and divorce proceeding.

Evavold’s probation conditions specifically restrict contact with “Co-Defendant(s), Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, Gina Dahlen and Douglas Dahlen.”

On May 10, 2018, the United States Supreme Court docketed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari filed on behalf of Sandra Grazzini-Rucki regarding the contested child support matter stemming from her divorce from David Rucki. Continue reading →

Michelle MacDonald’s law license officially suspended

February 1, 2018 Comments Off read Analysis, Legal Developments, Michelle MacDonald

Michelle MacDonald, a licensed attorney in Minnesota for 30 years and who twice ran for the Minnesota Supreme Court, is now officially suspended from the practice of law.

In an order issued two weeks ago by the Minnesota Supreme Court, MacDonald’s license has been suspended for a minimum of 60 days. MacDonald must complete a series of tasks prior to being eligible for reinstatement of her license to a probationary status for a period of two years.

Among the conditions placed on MacDonald if her license is reinstated will be a restriction on her ability to have a solo law practice.

The court will also require MacDonald to “work in a setting where she is in daily contact with, and under the direct supervision of, another Minnesota licensed attorney.”

Before being eligible for reinstatement, MacDonald must prove that she is prepared to cease solo practice.

In addition to working daily with a supervising attorney who must co-sign all court pleadings, MacDonald must also work with a probation supervisor appointed by the Board to assure her compliance with the terms of her probation.

In recent days, MacDonald’s law office in West St. Paul has become dark, unkempt, and ragged, without any signs of the active law practice MacDonald had years ago. Continue reading →

Grazzini-Rucki: Federal agent posing as plumber has me in a safe house

December 20, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Legal Developments, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki claims a federal agent with the United States Marshals Service, who posed as a plumber has placed her in protective custody in a safe house, according to an interview broadcast yesterday live online.

Grazzini-Rucki also said during her interview that she is being held by the United States Marshals Service in advance of a warrant being issued for her arrest.

Her claim that she is being protected and held by the United States Marshals Service is the latest in a series of outlandish falsehoods made by Grazzini-Rucki, who has a documented and extensive record of lying both in and out of the courtroom.

Multiple law enforcement agencies contacted today, including the United States Marshals Service, confirmed Grazzini-Rucki is not in custody.

Since being convicted in July 2016 of six felonies for her role in the disappearance of her daughters, Grazzini-Rucki’s false statements and accusations have become more outrageous and untruthful. Continue reading →

Missing in Minnesota: the power in numbers

October 26, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Missing in Minnesota

10 days ago, Missing in Minnesota posted about a missing child, a sixteen-year-old boy who was missing from Hutchinson. We are so pleased to be able to report that Dominick Curtiss was found safe five days later.

That alone is the happiest of endings to that story.

But what happened with that post is something that we are truly grateful for and something that we want you to know.

In less than a week’s time, the post about Dominick Curtiss was shared over 4,000 times and reached over 256,000 people. Those are incredible numbers!

We started this Facebook page less than one year ago as an extension of MissinginMinnesota.com.

The website was set up initially by Michael Brodkorb as a way to report on the legal developments about the adults charged in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki. When he started, he thought by this time, the case would be closed; there would be nothing left to report on.

Unfortunately for the Rucki family, the case has not closed. Continue reading →

Dede Evavold’s revenge against the Rucki family

October 11, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis, Deirdre Evavold, Legal Developments

Dede Evavold is scheduled to be arraigned in Dakota County next week on new criminal charges filed against her related to her continued online harassment of the Rucki family.

On July 28, 2017, a judge in Dakota County signed a Harassment Restraining Order specifically stating “[Evavold] shall not name any member of the Rucki Family in any blog posting, social media posting, or internet posting” after determining “an immediate and present danger of harassment” by Evavold existed.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Dakota County on September 12, 2017, Evavold violated the Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) on August 2nd, August 3rd, and August 15th by posting names and photos of the Rucki family.

Evavold’s arraignment next week comes in the wake of two recent sentences in Minnesota, both for charges under Minnesota’s newly enacted “Revenge Porn” law. Continue reading →

Pizza Ranch fundraiser for White Horse Ranch canceled

September 21, 2017 Comments Off read Analysis

A fundraiser hosted by Pizza Ranch to benefit a ranch where two missing sisters were held for 942 days was abruptly canceled after widespread public outrage.

According to the promotional materials for the fundraiser, Pizza Ranch in Alexandria, Minnesota would be “donating a portion of their sales during that time” to White Horse Ranch, which is owned by Doug and Gina Dahlen.

Doug and Gina Dahlen were sentenced in May to one year in jail for their role in the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki from Lakeville, Minnesota.

Earlier today, the staff at Pizza Ranch confirmed they would be donating a portion of their sales to the White Horse Ranch. After being informed about the controversy surrounding the ranch and the criminal history of both Doug and Gina Dahlen, staff insisted the fundraiser would still be held.

But hours after Missing in Minnesota posted details about the fundraiser on Facebook, the event was canceled.

As of 6:00 pm last evening, the Facebook post published by Missing in Minnesota has been viewed by over 13,000 people with over 250 comments.

Dan Gray, the owner of Pizza Ranch where the fundraiser to benefit the White Horse Ranch was scheduled to be held contacted Missing in Minnesota this morning to apologize for scheduling the event.

“I apologize,” said Gray, adding “if I ever do it again, I’ll do a little more research.” Gray noted that he hosts numerous fundraising events for the community each year.

Continue reading →