Wisconsin Nurse Ripped by Judge for 'Despicable' Behavior After She Had Sex With Patient And Made Fake 'Sexual Assault' Accusation to Avoid Punishment
Wisconsin nurse Melissa Knutson falsely accused a patient of sexually assaulting her.
March 4 2026, Published 6:00 p.m. ET
A Wisconsin judge tore into a local nurse who had s-- with a patient, then falsely accused him of sexually assaulting her, RadarOnline.com can report.
Melissa Knutson, 30, pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office and obstructing an officer, in an act the judge called "despicable."
A Nurse and a Lie
In reality, Melissa Knutson was knowingly and willingly having sex with the patient.
Prosecutors said that while Knutson was working as a nurse assigned to a drug court participant, she repeatedly had s--with the person. Police did not indicate if the victim was a man or a woman.
After the intercourse was reported to the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, Knutson tried to cover her crime by accusing her partner of sexual assault.
In fact, during their investigation, officials found text messages proving that Knutson initiated the relationship willingly, including messages in which she said she would deny anything if they were caught.
Judge Rips Nurse Melissa Knutson
Knutson made up the assault accusation after word of her relationship got out.
Before long, Knutson admitted to fabricating the accusation and said she did so to avoid facing consequences for the s-- acts.
Judge Paul Curran sentenced her to 18 months in prison and two years of public supervision, while slamming her conduct as "despicable" and labeling her as "an embarrassment to nurses everywhere."
He went on to say that he believed her remorse was "a mile wide and an inch deep."
Melissa Knutson Worked to Keep the Lie Going
Knutson said she made up the accusation to stay out of trouble.
After creating her lie, Knutson did all she could to keep it going, only burying herself even more in the process. Her defense attorney told Us Weekly the patient allegedly "manipulated and threatened her to the point that she sought and received a restraining order against him."
Davis also said that when Knutson went to the police for help, "the investigation quickly turned against her."
"Melissa Knutson is more than a mugshot," attorney Meredith Davis said in a statement, sympathizing that her client "is a mother, wife, daughter, and friend."
David continued: "As a nurse, Melissa cared for the sickest people in her community for years with compassion and professionalism. She was praised by coworkers, supervisors, and patients' families for always lending a listening ear and trying to understand the whole individual, not just the medical condition."
The Accusations Were Taken Seriously
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She has since been sentenced to 18 months in prison.
However, her lies were treated as serious accusations by police, which Monroe County District Attorney Kevin Croninger argued wasted time and put others in danger.
"The harm caused by Ms. Knutson was deep and significant," Croninger said in a statement. "Not only did she violate the sacred trust between a patient and a nurse, but she compounded that by falsely accusing the patient of sexual assault.
The D.A. went on to praise the responding cops for digging for the facts.
"All officers involved in this matter demonstrated a tremendous commitment to seeking the truth through evidence," Croninger added. "All involved take every sexual assault very seriously. When Ms. Knutson reported she was sexually assaulted, that allegation was taken seriously.
"The officers were highly professional in investigating that allegation and determining that Ms. Knutson was lying. Officers then completed an extremely thorough and effective investigation, which uncovered a plethora of evidence that Ms. Knutson was, in fact, the perpetrator, not the victim."
He added, "Without this commitment to seeking the truth through evidence, an unjust result may have occurred. Instead, the truth was discovered, and justice was served."
