A Message from the
County Attorney

Dear staff and friends of the office,

It has been a very productive first three months of 2025 in the County Attorney’s Office. We started the new year with two child protection trials in our juvenile division. The small but mighty juvenile division pulled together as a team over a difficult four-week period to present courtroom testimony on the importance of permanency, stability, and attachment in determining the best interest of a child in a custodial situation. Our criminal division similarly handled several difficult domestic abuse and sexual assault cases during the first three months of the year. Everyone’s hard work and commitment to protecting the public should not go unnoticed and it is important to recognize and celebrate it.

Criminal prosecution and child protection cases are some of the most challenging and emotionally cases to with which to work. The negative impact of stress and emotional complexities of the subject matter on our staff needs to be talked about, and that is why I started a Wellbeing Committee. I have asked key members of the office to be on this committee, and I am working with them to find creative ways to support and educate our entire team on the importance of peer support and happiness in the office. In addition, the Wellbeing Committee is tasked with providing trainings on how to deal with secondary trauma and how to avoid bringing it home. I am so grateful to have such wonderful employees who genuinely want to participate in the committee and wellbeing events. I’m finding that our office events really do bring people together and allow staff to unwind, bond, and get motivated.

Even though the work in a county attorney’s office is hard and can lead to personal hardship, this is such a great place to be that we continually find exceptional individuals to join the office. I want to take this opportunity to welcome Alisha Watkins as a new Assistant County Attorney in the Juvenile Division working on child protection cases. Alisha moved to Minnesota in 2022, initially to direct Mitchell Hamline’s Child Protection Clinic, and then also co-directed its Institute to Transform Child Protection. After two years of doing clinic work, she was ready to expand her role in helping children and so she joined this office. Alisha brings both experience and enthusiasm to her new role and we are very excited to have her join the team.

Also, big welcome to Rikshith Chittajallu, a new legal assistant in our criminal division. Rik comes to us from the Minnesota National Guard’s Trial Defense Services, where he served as a paralegal.

As we go forward in the year, we want to continue to recognize the talent and tireless efforts of our staff, which is why attorneys and supervisors recently chipped in to celebrate Administrative Professional’s Day with a luncheon honoring staff at the Lake Elmo Inn. It is a small way to say thank you to our staff for the dedication to the office. The work they do makes a difference in the quality of life for all citizens in Washington County, building a stronger and better future.

Sincerely,

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Kevin Magnuson

Criminal Division Highlights

In the first quarter of 2025, the Criminal Division continued seeking justice for victims and protecting public safety. Our prosecutors tried several jury trials during the first quarter of 2025.

A jury found Jorge Sandoval guilty of fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct for sexually assaulting a woman he did not know. Brian Kroonblawd was found guilty of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, test refusal, and fifth-degree assault. And Shaun Motz was convicted of first-degree criminal damage to property for intentionally damaging his ex-girlfriend’s car. In these cases, our prosecutors presented the testimony of innocent victims who were victimized by the defendants, and juries of Washington County residents ensured the defendants would be held accountable.

The Criminal Division’s work goes beyond holding violent offenders accountable. The division assigns one prosecutor to work on the Washington County Vulnerable Adult Multidisciplinary Team.

The team discusses ongoing investigations into cases involving possible thefts from vulnerable adults and complements our guardianship work. Assistant County Attorney Keshini Ratnayake prosecutes these important cases.

In 2024, the Criminal Division charged eight cases involving the financial exploitation of vulnerable adults. The Criminal Division prioritizes obtaining restitution for the innocent victims of this fraud. Though restitution might not repair the breach of trust the vulnerable adult feels, the victim will at least recoup the money that was lost.

Civil Division Highlights

The Civil Division provides a wide array of services to Washington County, including reviewing every contract with the county, ensuring child support obligations are being met, and providing the day-to-day legal advice requested by the county’s leaders. Here are a few of the Civil Division’s accomplishments during the first quarter of 2025:

Public Works

The start of the new year (2025) kicked off Public Works contracting season. The County Attorney’s Office has been busy assisting Public Works with drafting Request for Proposals and Project Manuals for Bid Solicitations, as well as finalizing contracts for road construction projects throughout the county that will begin this spring. Also, the Public Works Department, with the help of the County Attorney’s Office, finalized the last of the land acquisition agreements necessary to begin grading the future road for the 58th Street Extension/County Highway 15 South Segment Project.

After years of hard work assisting, the Public Works Department helped complete and begin operation of the Metro Transit Gold Line, a 10-mile bus line connecting Woodbury to downtown St. Paul that runs almost entirely on dedicated bus-only lanes.

Criminal Appeals

In Minnesota, criminal defendants have the right to appeal their convictions, and any adverse determination made during a prosecution. When such appeals are made, the Civil Division defends the convictions at the Minnesota Court of Appeals and at the Minnesota Supreme Court. Assistant County Attorney Andrew Jackola recently argued the case of Xavier Hudson before the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Mr. Hudson was convicted by a jury in 2023 for a murder stemming from his role in a 2021 Woodbury graduation party shooting.

Guardianship/Conservatorships

Guardianship/Conservatorship attorneys continue to provide a safety net for vulnerable and at-risk adults who require the assistance of guardians or conservators, while providing valuable training regarding the use of guardianships and conservatorships to Community Services. In cooperation with Adult Protection workers, the Civil Division recently evaluated a conservatorship for an elderly woman who was a serial victim of financial and romance scams that put her on the brink of homelessness.

Medical Assistance Recovery

The Civil Division works closely with Community Services to recover Medical Assistance expenditures from the estates of deceased recipients. This recovery is federally mandated, and the recovered funds are reinvested in the Medical Assistance program to support ongoing and future benefits.

Data Practices

The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act is the equivalent of the federal government’s Freedom of Information Act. The Civil Division helps the county respond to residents’ requests for public information and provides training to county staff and law enforcement partners. The training included presenting on the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act at the annual Chief Law Enforcement Officer and Command Academy put on by the Chiefs of Police Association at Camp Ripley.

David Karens, recent graduate from our Veterans' Court Program, along with County Attorney Kevin Magnuson and First Attorney Brent Wartner.

Group of people at Law Enforcement training

Employee Highlights

Congratulations to Natalie Anderson, who was chosen for the Excellence in County Government Award! Natalie was recognized at the County Board meeting, April 15, at 9 am.

Each year, County Administrator Kevin Corbid selects one county employee from candidates nominated by peers and colleagues, and from others whose outstanding contributions to the county he noticed throughout the year.

The prestigious Excellence in County Government Award honors an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to Washington County and contributed to meeting the county’s mission to “strive to provide exceptional services that enhance quality of life and promote a safe, healthy, and welcoming community for all.” Natalie, embraces this mission every single day, displaying organizational excellence, initiative, and an exceptional work ethic. These qualities were evident a recent homicide trial, which itself was enormous and complex, when she assisted in the successful prosecution of two other felony cases that also went to trial at the same time. She is always willing to help and does so with a smile. She is also the first person to attribute some of her success to the dedication and support of her colleagues in the office, so thanks to all of you as well for creating an environment that enables individual successes within the team.

This is a well-deserved award. Natalie is a great colleague and working with her is a true pleasure.

Community News

METRO Gold Line Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting was held on Saturday, March 22. The community celebration included family activities, music, swag, and other giveaways.

The Gold Line offers:

Frequent all day service.
Pre-boarding fare payment options.
Access to Park and Ride lots in St. Paul, Oakdale, and Woodbury shelters that have heat, lighting, and other security measures.

Some Washington County employees and colleagues took the opportunity to join in the festivities.