State of Minnesota v. Jose Arriage Soto, Jr.

OPINION

LILLEHAUG, Justice.

In sentencing, district courts have a great deal of discretion. Rarely do we hold that it has been abused. But rarely is not never. This is such a rare case.

Appellant Jose Soto pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct for a ■violent rape. The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines called for an executed sentence of 12 years in prison. Instead, the district court stayed Soto’s prison sentence and put him on supervised probation. The State appealed. The court of appeals reversed and remanded for execution of the 12-year sentence. State v. Soto, No. A13-0997,…