SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah, Jan. 6, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Joseph Edward Wrona has been sentenced on his pleas of guilty to forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony, and incest, a third-degree felony.
Wrona was sentenced to the Utah State Prison for indeterminate terms of 1-15 years and 0-5 years, but the prison sentences were suspended and Wrona was ordered to serve 364 days in the Summit County Jail, 48 months supervised probation, and standard sex offender conditions, including sex offender registration, says a statement issued by the Summit County Attorney’s Office.
Wrona is ordered not to have contact with the victim for the rest of his natural life.
The sentence was the result of a plea bargain.
“The resolution of the case was possible because of the courage and resolve of the crime victim,” the statement says. “Throughout this case, (the victim) has been represented by an experienced lawyer and the prosecution team has consulted with her regarding the evidence and proceedings.”
The victim and her lawyer agreed with and consented to the resolution, the statement says.
“The alternative was to present the case to a jury,” said County Attorney Margaret Olson. “This would have required hours — if not days — of excruciatingly painful testimony by the survivor of Mr. Wrona’s crimes and would have subjected her to cross-examination on that testimony. The testimony and details of the crimes would then have become public.
“The County Attorney’s Office will not sacrifice the emotional and mental wellness of an already-traumatized human being on the altar of public cries for maximum penalties. Nor should we expect this valiant young woman to be responsible for insuring Joe Wrona is punished for all the other wrongs and insults the community believes he has committed.”
Presenting the case to a jury would have involved material trial risk and an uncertain outcome, the statement says.
“The resolution spared (the victim) the ordeal of a trial and insured meaningful accountability and public safeguards.”
