White Bear Lake Woman Pleads Guilty To Harassing Neighbors
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - A White Bear Lake woman who was banned from her home for harassing her neighbors will not spend any more time behind bars due to a plea bargin.
Lori Christensen, 49, pleaded guilty Monday to a felony charge for violating a harassment restraining order back in May 2012. The order was issued to keep her from bothering Greg and Kim Hoffman, who lived across the street. She was caught videotaping the family later that month.
Two other felony charges were dropped Monday as part of a plea deal that includes community service, fines, 10 years probation, a 10-year no-contact order with the Hoffmans and a 10-year order to stay away from the neighborhood.
"It's been a long road and just to have this behind us is so big," Greg Hoffman said.
Over the years, White Bear Lake Police received 80 calls from the Hoffmans and other neighbors about Christensen's behavior. She hung demeaning signs on her garage, reading things like "losers" and "Rat Queen, Break a Leg."
She also targeted the Hoffmans' three children, once singing to them about Kim's past struggles with alcoholism.
"It has been very difficult for our family and very difficult for the whole neighborhood," Kim Hoffman said. "It was unfair."
The Hoffmans say the plea agreement, even without jail time, is fair.
"We've never been out for blood. It's just been we wanted our own freedoms back and for her to understand and take responsibility for her actions," Kim said.
Christiensen was forced to move out of the neighborhood after violating her probation from an earlier felony harassment conviction last year. She also spent 53 days in jail.
The judge told her Monday that if she came anywhere near the neighborhood or the Hoffmans, she could face a harsher sentencing.
Christiensen will be sentenced Sept. 11.
