The letter, titled 'Community Support Letter for Qalinle Dirie,' was penned on behalf of 'the undersigned members of the Somali community,' and expressed 'strong and heartfelt support' for the 'member of our community.'
The Islamic center wrote that the convicted felon has faced 'the challenge of starting over in a new culture,' and that he was known as an 'outgoing, family-oriented person' before 'this situation.'
The letter added that the community has 'witnessed his love for his family and kids' and noted that Dirie sends money back to Somalia to support family members.
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Qalinle Ibrahim Dirie (pictured), 42, was convicted in May of first-degree criminal sexual conduct after he was found guilty of grabbing the teen girl from her backyard and raping her in June 2024
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Following his conviction, Dirie's local Islamic center, Al-Ihsan Islamic Center in St. Paul, submitted a heartfelt letter begging Hennepin County District Court Judge Michael Burns to consider the convicted criminal's 'character' before delivering a sentence
'[Dirie] has also been an active volunteer in our mosque, Al-Ihsan Islamic Center, where he regularly visited during Friday prayers, Ramadan, and community events,' the letter, dated July 11 reads.
'You'll often find him helping elders find rides home or staying after to help clean up. His service has never been about recognition - just a quiet commitment to supporting the spaces that hold our community together.'
The letter was signed by Ahmed Anshur, the executive director of the Al-Ihsan Islamic Center, however, no other signatures were on the document.
'The situation [Dirie] is currently facing comes as a deep shock to all of us. It does not reflect the man we know a man whose actions have consistently reflected family and community. We respectfully ask that this letter be considered as a sincere reflection of who Qalinle Dirie truly is. His contributions may not make headlines, but to us, he has made a positive difference,' the letter concluded.
Daily Mail has reached out to the Al-Ihsan Islamic Center for comment.
Dirie was charged with the rape in July of 2024.
According to the criminal complaint, the victim said she was playing in the backyard of her family's home in Minneapolis when a man started talking to her from an alley behind the house.
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The Al-Ihsan Islamic Center (pictured) wrote that the convicted felon has faced 'the challenge of starting over in a new culture,' and that he was known as an 'outgoing, family-oriented person' before 'this situation'
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The letter was signed by Ahmed Anshur, the executive director of the Al-Ihsan Islamic Center (pictured), however, no other signatures were on the document
The man reportedly asked if the victim's mother was home, and the victim said she was not.
Court documents say the man left the scene for a few minutes but returned about ten minutes later allegedly putting his hand over her mouth, forcing her into a car, and striking her over the head.
The victim said the man drove a short distance away from the home, pulled over, and sexually assaulted her in the backseat before she was able to escape and run home, The Minnesota Star Tribune reported.
Just days later, the girl's brother, saw multiple calls from Dirie on the girl's phone that she was not answering and when asked she told her brother the unanswered calls were from the man who raped her.
When Dirie continued calling, the victim's brother answered but did not speak.
According to the criminal complaint, Dirie said, 'Hey, beautiful. I miss you when can I see you again?'
The brother hung up and began texting through Snapchat with Dirie, pretending to be his sister. Dirie made a reference to seeing the girl and bringing condoms, according to the complaint , and they later arranged a time to meet.
But, when Dirie arrived and saw the brother and the girl's stepfather waiting in the living room he tried to flee, but the brother blocked his path and called 911.
Police showed up and arrested the Somalian immigrant.
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Dirie (pictured) was sentenced last week to serve 12 years in prison - the least amount of prison time recommended by Minnesota's sentencing guidelines for first-degree criminal sexual assault
At first, Dirie denied knowing the girl but later admitted, 'she told me she is 19 years old. I don't know why,' the Minnesota Star Tribune reported.
Dirie was sentenced last week to serve 12 years in prison - the least amount of prison time recommended by Minnesota's sentencing guidelines for first-degree criminal sexual assault.
He is also required to register as a predatory offender.
Minnesota law allows Dirie to be released in 2033 and remain on probation for the rest of his sentence, Alpha News reported. He is currently being held in Minnesota Correctional Facility-St. Cloud - 75 miles from St. Paul.
Dirie was born in Somalia amid the turmoil of the country's civil war and spent his early years in refugee camps in Kenya before immigrating to the United States in 2006 - it is not clear what his immigration status is.
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