U.S. Senate candidate Marisa Simonetti sentenced in tarantula-throwing incident

A Minnesota woman running for U.S. Senate has been sentenced for an incident in which she threw a live tarantula onto a staircase leading to her then-tenant's living space in 2024.

Marisa Simonetti will serve her 90-day sentence on school/work release, according to court documents filed late last month. She will also serve two years of probation and must write an apology letter to the victim.

A jury found Simonetti guilty of domestic assault, harassment and disorderly conduct in March, though the final count was not adjudicated. 

The victim was renting out Simonetti's basement in Edina, Minnesota, in 2024, according to a criminal complaint. Issues arose when the tenant requested a pest control service due to "a lot of large spiders in the basement."

The complaint said after that, Simonetti started insulting the tenant, hoarding their groceries and making loud noises in the home on various occasions. The tenant captured the tarantula-throwing incident on camera. They said they believed Simonetti wanted to harm them.

Simonetti unsuccessfully ran twice for a Hennepin County commissioner seat in 2024, state records show.