Life sentence issued in rape, kidnap case

After a jury found Dennis Michael St.John Jr. of Scanlon guilty of kidnapping, rape and domestic abuse in January, his expected sentence was handed down this week: Life in prison without the possibility of release.

Two of St. John’s convictions were used in guiding the sentence Monday in Carlton County Sixth District Court. He received just more than eight years on a felony kidnapping charge. His felony criminal sexual conduct conviction sparked state statute that guides sentencing depending on the existence of “heinous” elements to the crime. Carlton County attorney Lauri Ketola said in front...