Nurse lied about patient sexually assaulting her to hide what actually were consensual trysts. Now she's paying a big price.

A Wisconsin nurse who accused a patient of sexually assaulting her is headed to prison after investigators discovered she fabricated the accusations and repeatedly engaged in consensual sexual intercourse with the patient, according to authorities.

The Monroe County District Attorney's Office announced Monday that Melissa R. Knutson of Readstown pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office and obstructing an officer.

'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.'

Juneau County Circuit Court Judge Paul Curran sentenced Knutson to 18 months of initial confinement in state prison, followed by two years of extended supervision for the conviction of misconduct in public office.

Knutson also received a concurrent 180-day jail sentence for obstructing an officer.

The district attorney's office said Knutson was a nurse assigned to a drug court participant with whom she "repeatedly engaged in sexual intercourse."

"When the facts of her intercourse with a patient/participant were reported to the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, Knutson responded by falsely accusing the patient of sexual assault," the district attorney's statement read.

However, investigators determined that Knutson "fabricated that allegation to avoid consequences for her sex acts with the patient/participant," the DA's office stated.

Knutson later confessed to lying about being sexually assaulted by the patient in a letter and with her guilty plea, according to the district attorney.

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Monroe County District Attorney Kevin Croninger declared that Knutson caused "deep and significant" harm.

"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," Croninger said.

The DA noted, "This situation is particularly egregious given the patient in this situation was a participant in drug court."

Croninger said all of the officers who worked on the case "demonstrated a tremendous commitment to seeking the truth, through evidence."

"All involved take every sexual assault very seriously," Croninger said in the press release. "When Ms. Knutson reported she was sexually assaulted, that allegation was taken seriously."

Croninger praised the officers for being "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," Croninger continued.

Croninger warned that investigators' commitment to seeking the truth prevented a possible "unjust result."

"Instead, the truth was discovered, and justice was served," Croninger proclaimed.

Judge Curran described Knutson's actions as "despicable" and stressed that she was "an embarrassment to nurses everywhere."

Curran said Knutson's purported remorse was "a mile wide and an inch deep."

According to the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, Knutson has had her nursing license suspended.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services describes drug courts as alternatives to incarceration and places to "help participants recover from use disorder with the aim of reducing future criminal activity."

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