Independent Minnesota US Senate candidate Marisa Simonetti, 32, has been sentenced to three months in the Hennepin County workhouse after throwing a live tarantula onto the staircase leading to her tenant's living space in Edina. She was convicted of gross misdemeanour harassment and misdemeanour domestic assault and will serve her 90-day sentence on school and work release. The court also ordered her to serve two years of probation and submit a written apology to the victim.
Simonetti's sentence comes as she campaigns for a seat in the US Senate, hoping to replace Tina Smith in the November 2026 Minnesota election. Her candidacy has drawn further attention after a video she posted of herself confronting a Girl Scout and the child's mother over selling cookies without a permit went viral, putting her own conduct under public scrutiny.
Marisa Simonetti's Tarantula Assult
The tenant dispute escalated from a basement pest control request to intercepted groceries, banging pots overhead, cutting Wi-Fi, and a live tarantula on the stairs. According to court records, Simonetti also blared loud Christian music upstairs to disturb the resident below. The criminal complaint notes that the tenant only received their groceries after police intervened, and recorded the tarantula incident because they believed Simonetti intended to harm them.
This first video shows Marisa Simonetti tossing the tarantula down the stairs toward Jackie Vasquez, who was on the phone with the dispatcher at the time. pic.twitter.com/psFOMSovX3
— Lou Raguse (@LouNewsMan) June 25, 2024
Simonetti, a local real estate businesswoman who runs a house-buying firm, claimed she was defending her property against what she described as a 'squatter' who refused to vacate after a short-term booking was canceled. She added that Edina municipal codes do not permit short-term rentals. Following the trial verdict, she declined to elaborate beyond official court filings.
"Christ Jesus Hallelujah!" -- On this video you can hear Simonetti banging on pots and yelling while Vasquez is talking with the 911 dispatcher. pic.twitter.com/y4HhjUJXZp
— Lou Raguse (@LouNewsMan) June 25, 2024
A Hennepin County jury convicted Simonetti on 13 March, finding her guilty of gross misdemeanor harassment, misdemeanor domestic assault, and disorderly conduct. The conviction follows her initial arrest on 21 June 2024, when she spent the weekend in jail on fifth-degree assault charges. In addition to her 90-day workhouse sentence—which permits work release—she was ordered to pay $1,078 in fines.
Simonetti's Girl Scout Video
Simonetti posted the cookie confrontation to her own TikTok account. On-screen text on the clip labelled the sale a 'DEI Weekend' outside a shop in Edina, and her caption said the person asked about the law 'plays the victim.'
A longer version posted to Facebook shows her pressing the woman and her daughter on whether they had a permit to sell the cookies, while the mother covers her daughter's face and tells Simonetti the girl is a minor.
Commenters on a Girl Scouts community post say the child's face was visible in Simonetti's version until a sticker was added. Whether the pair had permission to sell is still unconfirmed, and some posters said they would never vote for her.
Is Marisa Simonetti Still Running for Senate?
Yes. Simonetti remains on Minnesota's ballot as an independent. Although she initially launched her political career as a Republican and lost two Hennepin County Board races in 2024, the local 3rd Congressional District GOP committee withdrew its endorsement following her 2024 arrest, stating she 'does not reflect our values'.
Simonetti has maintained that she disagrees with state party leadership rather than national figures, insisting she will not be bullied out of the contest. Independent candidate Marisa Simonetti remains on the 3 November 2026 ballot for the US Senate, with her probation term now actively underway.
For those who don’t know, Simonetti got 2 years probation after throwing a tarantula at one of her tenants. https://t.co/1cHA1P8p47 pic.twitter.com/cvfJGkp4xA
— Joaquin Soto 🇺🇸✝️🌵 (@WalkerwarriorX) October 9, 2026
