Mankato man sentenced to prison on threats, drug charges

A Mankato man will serve time in prison on threats and drug charges.

Orlando Ramon Ricci, 49, was sentenced in Blue Earth County Court last week to two years in prison.  Ricci will serve at least 16 months of his sentence.  He’ll get credit for 54 days already served in jail.

Ricci entered an Alford Plea in March for four separate cases against him.  An Alford Plea means the defendant does not admit guilt, but acknowledges that there is enough evidence against him to be found guilty.

In March 2020, Ricci was the subject of a Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force raid in which 547 ecstasy tablets were recovered. As part of the plea deal, a charge of 1st-degree drug sales was amended to a 3rd-degree charge and a 1st-degree drug possession charge was dropped.

In another March 2020 case, Ricci was convicted of threats of violence.  Charges of 2nd-degree assault and terroristic threats were dropped as part of the Alford Plea.

Charges from two additional cases, which included failure to register as a predatory offender and malicious punishment of a child, were also dropped as part of the Alford Plea.