Florida Senate nominee Angie Nixon resolves DeSantis office arrest without guilty plea

The state representative reached an agreement that ends the criminal case after her May sit-in at Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office.

Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon will avoid a trial over her May protest at Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office after reaching an agreement that allows her to resolve the criminal case without pleading guilty or admitting wrongdoing.

Nixon, the Democratic nominee for a U.S. Senate seat, was arrested after staging a sit-in at the Florida Capitol while seeking a meeting with the governor over the state’s newly drawn congressional maps. She faced misdemeanor charges of trespassing and resisting an officer without violence.

The Washington Post reported Thursday that the case has been resolved ahead of the trial that had been scheduled for October. Under the agreement, Nixon must pay $250 and complete 15 hours of community service. The state will dismiss the charges once she fulfills those conditions.

Nixon has continued to dispute the allegations. In announcing the agreement, she said she would not plead guilty to conduct she believes was lawful and maintained that her protest was an effort to speak directly with the governor about the redistricting changes.

Her May 15 demonstration came after Florida lawmakers approved a new congressional map during a special legislative session. Democrats opposed the map, arguing that it violated the Florida Constitution. A legal challenge to the map has also been filed, although a judge declined to block the map from taking effect in the 2026 election cycle.

The agreement means Nixon’s criminal case will not proceed to the jury trial she had been preparing to face. Her attorney, Mutaqee Akbar, emphasized that the resolution contains no guilty plea or admission of guilt.

Nixon also said the community service will remain separate from both her Senate campaign and her legislative work. Neither operation will organize or publicize the service.

The case has unfolded as Nixon’s political profile has grown. She won the Democratic nomination for Florida’s U.S. Senate seat in August and is now set to face Republican nominee Ashley Moody in November.