Published: October 26th, 2026.
BURNSVILLE, MN: A 40-year-old Savage man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a child under the age of 13 in connection with incidents reported to have occurred in Burnsville several years earlier.
Noah Timothy Raines was sentenced on Friday, October 23, 2026, in Dakota County District Court after entering a guilty plea in March 2026. According to court records, Raines was convicted of one felony count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a child younger than 13, with the offender being more than 36 months older than the victim.
Dakota County District Court Judge Stacey E. Sorensen Green ordered Raines to serve 144 months, or 12 years, in the custody of the Minnesota Department of Corrections. The sentence also includes a 10-year conditional release period and mandatory registration as a predatory offender. The case stems from a criminal investigation initiated by Burnsville police in June 2023 following allegations of sexual abuse that reportedly occurred between 2019 and 2020.
Limitless Media News is withholding the victim's identity and certain identifying details because the case involves sexual abuse of a minor.
Investigation Began Following Referral to Burnsville Police
According to the criminal complaint, the Burnsville Police Department received a referral from another agency on June 1, 2023, concerning allegations of criminal sexual conduct at a residence in Burnsville.
Investigators were informed that the alleged abuse occurred approximately three to four years before the referral, when the victim was approximately six or seven years old. Court documents indicate that Raines and the child had a significant relationship, although the specific nature of that relationship is not being disclosed to protect the victim's identity. The complaint states that the child initially disclosed the alleged abuse to a family member and later to a therapist.
Following those disclosures, the child participated in a forensic interview at the Midwest Children's Resource Center (MCRC), where investigators obtained additional information about the allegations. During the interview, the child described inappropriate sexual conduct involving Raines on two separate occasions.
According to prosecutors, the child reported that Raines had directed the child to engage in sexual acts with him. The complaint further alleges that Raines instructed the child to keep the incidents secret and showed the child sexually explicit material depicting similar conduct. These allegations formed the basis of the criminal case filed against Raines in Dakota County.
Criminal Charges Amended During Court Proceedings
Court records show that prosecutors amended the criminal complaint during the proceedings, modifying the description of the first-degree criminal sexual conduct charge. The original complaint charged Raines with first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving sexual contact with a child under 13. Subsequent amended complaints described the offense as first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving sexual penetration of a child under 13.
The amended charging documents identified the alleged offense period as January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2020, although one version listed January 1, 2019, as the offense date. All versions cited Minnesota Statute 609.342, subdivision 1(a), which addresses first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving victims younger than 13 when the offender is more than 36 months older. The charge carried a potential maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $40,000 fine.
Under the applicable sentencing provisions, the court documents identified a presumptive prison sentence of 144 months. Although the March 2026 guilty plea petition identified the offense as involving sexual penetration, the October 23 sentencing order listed the conviction as first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving sexual contact.
Both documents concern the same criminal case and statutory offense. The sentencing order confirms that Raines was convicted of one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Raines Entered Guilty Plea Under Norgaard Procedure
On March 16, 2026, Raines signed a petition to enter a guilty plea in Dakota County District Court. The plea was accompanied by a separate document known as a Norgaard addendum, which addresses situations in which a defendant pleads guilty despite claiming an inability to remember the circumstances surrounding the offense.
Under Minnesota law, a Norgaard plea allows a defendant to plead guilty without personally recalling the events, provided the defendant acknowledges that the prosecution's evidence would likely be sufficient to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. In the signed addendum, Raines acknowledged reviewing the evidence prosecutors intended to present against him.
He also acknowledged that he did not recall the circumstances of the offense but believed there was a substantial likelihood that a jury would find him guilty if the case proceeded to trial. Importantly, Raines did not claim innocence. The document explained that acceptance of the plea would result in a criminal conviction carrying the same legal consequences as a conventional guilty plea.
The Norgaard procedure does not constitute an acquittal or a finding that the defendant was innocent. Once the court accepts it, it results in a conviction. The plea documents also informed Raines that he could be required to complete treatment related to the underlying offense and that failure to comply with applicable treatment requirements could carry additional consequences.
Plea Agreement Established 12-Year Sentencing Cap
According to the March 16 plea petition, prosecutors and the defense agreed to a sentencing cap of 144 months, equivalent to 12 years in prison. The agreement also allowed the defense to argue for a downward dispositional departure.
A downward dispositional departure would have permitted the court to consider a probationary sentence rather than immediately imposing an executed prison term, subject to the applicable legal requirements. The plea agreement did not guarantee such a departure. The agreement further specified a 10-year conditional release period if a prison sentence was executed.
Raines acknowledged in the petition that he understood the potential consequences of the conviction, including the maximum statutory penalty, the applicable sentencing requirements, and the conditions associated with release from prison. He also waived his right to a jury trial by entering the guilty plea.
The court ultimately imposed the full 144-month prison term identified as the cap in the plea agreement, rather than granting a downward dispositional departure.
Judge Orders 12-Year Prison Sentence
During sentencing on October 23, 2026, Judge Sorensen Green ordered Raines committed to the Minnesota Department of Corrections for 144 months. The sentencing order directs his commitment to the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud and awards four days of credit for time already served.
Under Minnesota's standard sentencing structure, an executed prison sentence generally consists of two portions: a minimum incarceration period equal to two-thirds of the sentence and a potential supervised release period equal to the remaining one-third. For Raines' 144-month sentence, that structure generally translates to:
Total executed sentence: 144 months, or 12 years.
Minimum prison confinement: Approximately 96 months, or eight years.
Potential supervised release: Approximately 48 months, or four years.
Credit for time served: Four days.
The actual amount of time Raines spends incarcerated will depend on applicable correctional rules, sentence administration, and compliance with release requirements. The sentencing order notes that violations of correctional facility rules or supervised release conditions may result in additional incarceration. Although the standard sentence structure permits supervised release after approximately two-thirds of the executed term, it does not guarantee release on a particular date.
Additional 10-Year Conditional Release Requirement
Beyond the executed prison sentence, the court imposed a 10-year conditional release period associated with Raines' first-degree criminal sexual conduct conviction. Conditional release is a separate period of supervision required for certain criminal sexual conduct convictions under Minnesota law.
According to the sentencing order's accompanying explanation, the conditional release period follows the executed sentence, including its prison and supervised release portions, with credit applied for qualifying time spent on supervised release. Violations of conditional release conditions can result in an offender being returned to prison for some or all of the remaining conditional release period.
As a result, Raines will remain subject to correctional supervision requirements beyond his initial period of incarceration.
Predatory Offender Registration Required
The court also ordered Raines to comply with Minnesota's predatory offender registration requirements. Registration requirements are imposed on individuals convicted of certain qualifying offenses, including specified criminal sexual conduct offenses.
The October 23rd sentencing order explicitly requires Raines to register as a predatory offender. The order also directs him to provide a DNA sample when instructed. Failure to comply with applicable registration requirements can result in additional criminal consequences.
The sentencing documents do not specify the exact duration of Raines' registration obligation or the individualized conditions that may apply to him following release.
Court Records Document Case Spanning More Than Three Years
The criminal case developed over more than three years, beginning with the referral received by Burnsville police in June 2023 and concluding with the October 2026 sentencing. The documented timeline includes several significant developments:
2019–2020: The criminal complaint identifies this as the approximate period during which the sexual abuse occurred at a Burnsville residence.
June 1, 2023: Burnsville police received a referral from another agency concerning the allegations.
2023: The criminal case was initiated in Dakota County District Court.
March 16, 2026: Raines signed a guilty plea petition and Norgaard addendum acknowledging the prosecution's evidence and the likelihood of conviction at trial.
October 23, 2026: Raines was sentenced to 144 months in prison, with an additional 10-year conditional release requirement and mandatory predatory offender registration.
Case Concludes With Felony Conviction and Prison Commitment
The October 23rd sentencing order establishes Raines' conviction for first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a child under 13 and imposes an executed prison sentence. The court's decision concludes the sentencing phase of the Dakota County criminal case, which began after authorities received allegations of sexual abuse dating back several years.
Raines is subject to the terms of his prison sentence, applicable supervised and conditional release requirements, and mandatory predatory offender registration. The court records reviewed for this report do not establish an exact future release date.
This report is based on the criminal complaints, March 16, 2026 guilty plea documents, Norgaard addendum, and October 23, 2026 sentencing order filed in Dakota County District Court. The documents intentionally omit details that could identify the minor victim.
Pictured: Noah Timothy Raines. Provided by Dakota County Jail.
Written by: Will Wight
