Career Criminal Sentenced to 28 Years in Prison

Donald Ellis’ career as a criminal was put on hold Monday—at least for the next 28 years.

Hennepin County District Court Judge Kerry Meyer sentenced the 56-year-old West St. Paul man to a long prison term because of a long record of breaking into cars, stealing purses and using stolen credit cards his entire adult life.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said this was one of the longest, if not the longest, sentences handed down in the state for property crimes.

“Nobody deserves this sentence more than Mr. Ellis,” Freeman said. “He has been a thorn in the side of residents and police departments throughout the Twin Cities metro area and it took a lot of hard work by police and especially assistant Hennepin County Attorney Diane Krenz to put him away for a long time. He will be an old man if he gets out.”

Ellis was also ordered to pay a total restitution of $25,000 to 25 victims.