Woman running for county board seat arrested for allegedly throwing tarantula at housemate

EDINA, Minn. (TCN) -- A woman running for a county board seat is facing charges for allegedly throwing a tarantula at a housemate with whom she was having problems.

Hennepin County Jail records show Marisa Simonetti was booked Friday, June 21, for fifth-degree assault and misdemeanor domestic assault. She was released after posting $4,000 bond.

According to KMSP-TV, Jackie Vasquez moved into Simonetti’s home, though Simonetti is reportedly not the owner. The two women allegedly got into an argument because Vasquez claimed there was a "spider infestation" in the house. Simonetti told KMSP in an interview that Vasquez "bombarded" her with text messages regarding problems in the house, which made Simonetti feel "uncomfortable."

On June 21, their dispute allegedly reached a boiling point when Simonetti opted to "bamboozle" her by blasting Christian music, tossing items down the stairs, screaming at her, and buying a tarantula, which she throw at Vasquez. Simonetti called the incident "kind of comical," likening it to actions taken by Kevin McCallister in "Home Alone." Simonetti argued she never came near or touched Vasquez.

Simonetti claimed Vasquez was a squatter, and joked that she should have "invited her for tea and crumpets" instead of escalating the situation. Vasquez told KMSP she paid rent and was not a squatter.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Simonetti previously worked in real estate, though her license was revoked in 2016 due to "fraudulent, deceptive, and dishonest practices." Her ex-fiancé also sued her in the past for allegedly trying to use his credit cards and money.

Simonetti is running for the District 6 seat on the Hennepin County Board and her platform slogan is "rebuilding safety through family values."

The Star Tribune reports Simonetti admitted to having an OnlyFans account, and when asked about claims she worked as an escort, she responded, "People will have questions about that. It sure beats swiping on Tinder endlessly and having my time wasted by guys who want a free fun time. I’ve done absolutely nothing wrong and nothing to be ashamed of."

As for the tarantula incident and running for the county board, Simonetti told KMSP, "I’m good at creatively solving problems. At the end of the day, I didn’t physically harm anybody. I’m a little unconventional in my ways — sometimes. I mean, I’m a silly goose."

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