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Jury Convicts Minnesota U.S. Senate Candidate in Tarantula Harassment Case

The case centered on video and police reports that showed a live tarantula and other debris dumped into a tenant’s basement unit.

Overview

  • A Hennepin County jury on Friday found Marisa Simonetti, 32, guilty of misdemeanor domestic assault, harassment and disorderly conduct.
  • Sentencing is scheduled for May 1 in Hennepin County District Court.
  • The June 2024 episode at her Edina home, rented as an Airbnb, was captured on video showing a tarantula and other items hurled down the stairs.
  • Police documented pins, tacks, nails, terrarium contents and small toys at the scene after the tenant’s repeated 911 calls.
  • The tenant reported Wi‑Fi was cut and a door was forced open, while Simonetti—now a U.S. Senate candidate—represented herself at trial and has said she drew the idea from the film Home Alone.