Celebrity chef Justin Sutherland arrested in Spirit Halloween store for no-contact order violation, police say
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Celebrity chef and restauranteur Justin Sutherland was arrested inside a St. Paul Spirit Halloween store on Thursday after police say an officer spotted him with a woman who has a no-contact order against him.
The arrest came just two days after Sutherland, 40, pleaded guilty to a felony count of threats of violence in connection to a domestic assault-related altercation with a woman that occurred in late June.
Police say a St. Paul officer working inside the Target store off University Avenue West and Hamline Avenue North recognized Sutherland and the woman.
The two left and drove across Hamline Avenue to the nearby Spirit Halloween store, police say. The officer called for backup and soon confirmed the no-contact order was still active.
Police say officers then entered the store and arrested Sutherland for violating the court order, which is a gross misdemeanor. He was taken to the Ramsey County Jail. As of Friday morning, the jail's roster indicates he hasn't been released.
Sutherland's previous arrest and criminal charge
According to the criminal complaint filed this summer in Ramsey County, Sutherland was arrested on June 28 after police were called twice to a St. Paul apartment building in connection to allegations he had choked his girlfriend and threatened her with a gun, which he was also accused of hitting her with.
She first called the police to report Sutherland had assaulted her and tried to kick her out of the apartment, but then told responding officers their help wasn't needed.
Later that evening, two additional 911 calls were made by witnesses. One said they saw an armed man outside with a woman "who appeared to be in distress," the complaint states. The other witness, the woman's sister, told police Sutherland was trying to kill his girlfriend, and while on a video call she saw Sutherland take her phone and throw it.
When officers returned, the complaint says police encountered Sutherland leaving the building. While they took him into custody, he allegedly said, "I called 911 and you trying to f****** arrest me?"
The woman told police the fight with Sutherland began after he canceled their plans to attend a music festival. Sutherland's friend told police he came to the apartment to de-escalate the situation. He said he didn't see any guns, but he had to "physically get in the middle of them and push them apart."
The complaint states officers who later executed a search warrant at the apartment found 10 firearms, ammunition and the woman's broken phone.
Sutherland went into a treatment program following the arrest, according to the complaint.
Triumphs and tragedy
Sutherland, an Apple Valley native and graduate of Minnesota State University in Mankato, has seen his star rise in the food world over the past several years.
He's found fame in the Twin Cities with his ties to several restaurants, including Handsome Hog, Pearl & the Thief, Big E and Northern Soul, the latter also being the title of his 2022 cookbook.
Sutherland also became a staple on the Food Network through his appearances on "Top Chef" and his 2018 victory on "Iron Chef America." He also hosted his own online series called "Taste The Culture."
But Sutherland was dealt his first major blow on the Fourth of July in 2022. While boating on the St. Croix River, Sutherland fell overboard and into the propeller, which ripped through his face and shoulder. The accident led to multiple surgeries.
"You know, I always thought I lived life, loved life to the fullest, and then you don't really realize how much you really love life until you almost lose it," Sutherland told WCCO that year.
Following his guilty plea earlier this week, Sutherland's attorney, John Daly, says he's seeking a stayed 360-day prison sentence for two years in addition to 100 hours of community service. He is set to be sentenced on Dec. 13.
For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.
