A man identified through DNA evidence as the suspect in a 2014 armed kidnapping and attempted sexual assault case in Maplewood is expected to be released from prison this week despite being sentenced less than two weeks ago in the decade-old case.
On May 7, Gregory Alan Trepanier, 57, was sentenced to 36 months in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed a charge of attempted first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Trepanier received 777 days of jail credit — more than two years already spent in custody — meaning he is expected to remain incarcerated for roughly 10½ additional months before release, according to the sentencing order.
However, under Minnesota’s sentencing structure, offenders generally serve two-thirds of their sentence in prison and one-third on supervised release.
As a result, Trepanier is expected to be released from the Minnesota Correctional Facility–St. Cloud on May 21, according to the Minnesota Department of Corrections website.
“He is a repeat offender and is getting no help for his sexual violence,” said Francene Myhra, the victim’s mother. “This leaves the public at great risk.”
Error draws criticism from family
The case drew attention after Assistant Ramsey County Attorney Nicole Harris apparently mishandled the plea agreement and entered the kidnapping conviction at a lower severity level than appropriate under Minnesota sentencing guidelines, significantly reducing the prison sentence, the family previously told Alpha News.
In an earlier court order, Ramsey County Judge Veena Iyer acknowledged the issue, writing in a court order: “In short, the State was mistaken about the offense to which Mr. Trepanier pled guilty and was therefore mistaken about the sentence to which it agreed.”
Myhra said the sentencing hearing, which took place May 7, was among the most emotionally difficult moments of the case, with family members and friends delivering victim impact statements while her daughter cried in court recounting the trauma of the 2014 attack.
According to Myhra, the judge referred to the blunder as a “heart-wrenching mistake,” appeared deeply troubled by the outcome and apologized to the family, telling the courtroom she would never have let Trepanier go with such a little sentence had she received the correct paperwork.
Myhra said the judge’s demeanor stood in stark contrast to that of prosecutor Harris, whose handling of the case left the family feeling unsupported. “From day one she has been so very cold, rude and seemed to have no empathy,” Myhra previously told Alpha News.
Victim, family meet with Ramsey County officials
Following Alpha News’ original reporting, Ramsey County officials met with the Myhra family to discuss their concerns surrounding the whole ordeal.
“The way we were treated and the huge mistake [Nicole Harris] made with the plea agreement,” Myhra said afterward, describing what the family and county officials discussed at the meeting.
Myhra said the family repeatedly raised concerns that Harris never accepted accountability or apologized.
“She never once apologized to us,” Myhra told Alpha News, noting Harris did not attend the meeting.
The family also questioned what steps Ramsey County would take to ensure similar issues do not happen in future cases.
“I said, ‘How are you going to fix this so this doesn’t happen to other victims?’” Myhra recalled.
Myhra said county officials referenced possible “training,” though she left the meeting uncertain what, if anything, would change.
According to Myhra, the county also offered to help pay for security cameras outside her daughter’s home ahead of Trepanier’s eventual release.
Myhra said investigators believe he is expected to return to live with relatives near where the 2014 kidnapping occurred and that law enforcement intends to closely monitor him following his release.
A dangerous past
Trepanier was arrested in 2024, roughly a decade after investigators said DNA evidence linked him to the Maplewood attack.
According to the criminal complaint, the victim told police a masked man, later identified as Trepanier, entered her vehicle outside a Maplewood bar, pointed a gun at her, and forced her to drive to another location where he ordered her to remove her clothing. He then exposed himself and attempted to sexually assault her but was unable to get an erection. He then masturbated, ejaculated, and fled on foot.
Police located “potential semen stains on the glove compartment and shifter panel” and submitted the evidence to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).
At the time, the DNA profile could not be matched to a suspect. However, as new profiles were added to the state database, the sample was routinely rechecked, and in February 2024, “the DNA Database returned a match to Trepanier from an unrelated case,” leading to his identification roughly a decade after the attack.
As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors also agreed not to pursue charges in two additional 2014 cases in North St. Paul and Maplewood in which women similarly reported being threatened with a gun and told they would be sexually assaulted — a decision that puzzled Myhra, who said investigators told the family they believed Trepanier was responsible for those assaults as well.
Court records additionally show Trepanier was convicted in 2019 in a separate stalking and indecent exposure case involving reports that he masturbated while watching women in White Bear Lake and Vadnais Heights.
In a prior statement to Alpha News, a Ramsey County Attorney’s Office spokesperson said: “As this matter remains an active and pending case, our office cannot provide further comment at this time. Consistent with our prosecutorial responsibilities, we continue to review all available evidence and apply our discretion appropriately. We recognize and appreciate the courage demonstrated by the victim in coming forward and sharing her experience.”
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
