Hennepin County corrections officer tied to case of missing Lakeville sisters

Michael Rhedin, who is connected to a "person of interest" in the disappearance of two missing sisters from Lakeville, pleaded guilty in 2014 to bringing a firearm into an elementary school in Lakeville. Rhedin was at the school to serve a subpoena in a divorce case between Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and her ex-husband David Rucki.

Rhedin is described as Grazzini-Rucki's "boyfriend" in court documents. He entered the school to serve a subpoena issued by Grazzini-Rucki's attorney, Michelle MacDonald, for school records. Lakeville Police consider Grazinni-Rucki a "person of interest" in the disappearance of two of her daughters, Samantha and Gianna Rucki.

Rhedin is currently employed as a corrections officer at the Hennepin County Adult Corrections Facility in Plymouth. Chester Cooper, Director of Hennepin County Community Corrections and Rehabilitation, said in a statement "we're aware of this issue but we cannot comment on private personnel matters."

According to police reports, Principle Taber Akin of Eastview Elementary School was served a subpoena on September 3, 2013, by a white male, wearing a blue polo shirt "bearing the words 'Gang Strike Force'" on the front. Akin told police he observed the person "attempting to enter the school, however all but one door was unlocked." Akin said he approached the person to "assist him" and noticed he "had a black firearm in a holster on his right hip, had a gold badge and handcuffs..."

Akin told police he believed the person was a law enforcement officer, but Akin "did not ask him for identification nor did the suspect present any such identification indicating that he was an officer." After a brief exchange, Akin was served with a subpoena by a person who was later identified by MacDonald's law firm as Rhedin. ​

The police report includes information on a second incident involving Rhedin entering Lakeville North High School on August 29, 2013 and serving a subpoena. A staff member at the high school reported being served a subpoena by a male wearing "a blue/dark colored uniform with some type of 'Hennepin County' insignia patch on his shoulders."

Rhedin was previously employed as a police officer in Elko New Market, but the police report says his peace officer license had been inactive since 2008.

Rhedin was later charged with one count of impersonating a police officer and one count of possessing a dangerous weapon on school property - both misdemeanors.

On March 10, 2014, Rhedin pleaded guilty to the charge of possessing a dangerous weapon on school property in an Alford plea agreement reached between his attorney Stephen Grigsby and Shana Conklin, who represented the city of Lakeville.

Rhedin pleaded guilty, but Judge Shawn M. Moynihan did not accept the guilty plea, per the conditions of the plea agreement. Rhedin was given a stay of adjudication and had to pay a $500 fine and was required to remain law-abiding for a period of 12 months. The charge of impersonating a police officer was eventually dismissed.

While Rhedin pleaded guilty to the charge of possessing a dangerous weapon on school property, he was not convicted of the charge. Rhedin did not respond to requests for comment.

In an interview this evening, Akin said the school did not notify parents about the incident at the school with Rhedin. He called the experience "eye-opening" and said elementary and middle schools in the area are being updated with "new visitor managment systems" which will require all vistors to provide indentification before being allowed entry into a school.

The police have not spoken with Grazinni-Rucki, who works as a flight attendant, about her missing daughters. Over the last year, Grazinni-Rucki has worked hard to conceal where she lives and police do not know how to contact Grazzini-Rucki.

Dale Nathan told the Star Tribune he was with Grazzini-Rucki in her car with Samantha and Gianna on April 19, 2013, when the girls ran from their home in Lakeville. In an interview this weekend, Nathan said after driving around for hours with Grazzini-Rucki and her daughters on the night the two sisters disappeared, Grazzini-Rucki dropped him off at a truck stop in Northfield.

Nathan said he was later picked up by Rhedin and then driven to his car in Burnsville.