Nicholas Rossi sentenced to five years to life in second rape case

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Nicholas Rossi, the man accused of faking his own death to escape rape charges in Salt Lake County and Utah County, has been sentenced to five years to life in prison.

This sentencing follows Rossi’s Salt Lake County trial, which focused on the rape of a 24-year-old woman in Dec. 2008, began on Aug. 11. The trial ended on Aug. 13, and a jury found him guilty of first-degree felony rape.

He was sentenced to a minimum of five years in prison for the crime. The sentence is to be served consecutively with his first conviction for which he was convicted in Salt Lake County just weeks earlier.

During Tuesday’s sentencing, attorneys representing Rossi argued against certain details from pre-sentencing documents. After deliberation, the defense asked the judge to recommend Rossi serve his sentence concurrently with his previous sentence, arguing Rossi has a low quality of life due to “secondary effects” of atrophy in his legs during his time in jail.

Attorneys from the state requested the judge consider issuing a recommendation that Rossi serve the sentences consecutively, which was granted. They also requested a continuous protective order be signed along with a recommendation to the board of pardons and parole that Rossi’s credit for jail time served only be counted beginning with his time in Utah. Rossi’s attorneys agreed.

Victims also spoke during the sentencing, asking the judge to issue the maximum sentence for Rossi’s crimes. All spoke to the damage done to their wellbeing following Rossi’s crimes.

After being found guilty of rape in Salt Lake County, Rossi was found guilty of rape for a second time in Utah County. He has been sentenced to five years to life in prison, to be served concurrently with his previous sentence.