SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A judge has sentenced a Rhode Island man who appeared to fake his death and flee the United States to avoid arrest to at least five years in prison for rape.
The sentence handed down Monday for Nicholas Rossi, 38, was the first of two he faces after being convicted separately in August and September of raping two women in northern Utah in 2008. He is scheduled to be sentenced in November for the second conviction.
District Judge Barry Lawrence sentenced Rossi to no less than five years and up to life at the Utah State Correctional Facility to begin immediately. He noted that Utah has “indeterminate sentencing,” meaning the sentence is given in a range of years rather than a fixed number, and the state’s Board of Pardons and Parole determines the actual release date.
Jurors found Rossi guilty of rape in August after a three-day trial in which his accuser and her parents each took the stand.
Rossi “uses rape to control women” and posed a risk to community safety, argued Deputy Salt Lake County District Attorney Brandon Simmons, a prosecutor in the case.
The victim, in her statement, acknowledged the deep scars left by Rossi’s actions, emphasizing the need for accountability: This is not a plea for vengeance. This is a plea for safety and accountability, for recognition of the damage that will never fully heal,” she said.
Rossi maintained his innocence during his trial, asserting that he is not guilty and characterized the women's testimonies as lies. However, it took over a decade from the time of the rapes to his convictions. Authorities began searching for Rossi, whose legal name is Nicholas Alahverdian, when he was identified in 2018 through a decade-old DNA rape kit linked to the case.
Months after being charged, an online obituary falsely reported Rossi's death. He was arrested in Scotland while being treated for COVID-19 after hospital staff recognized his distinctive tattoos from an Interpol notice. Rossi was extradited to Utah in January 2024 after a prolonged court battle, during which he insisted that he was an Irish orphan being framed.
In his first Utah trial, Rossi’s public defender denied the rape claim, arguing against making assumptions based on his actions. Nevertheless, the jury convicted him of one rape charge, prompting the latest sentencing.
Rossi’s case not only highlights his criminal actions but also sheds light on the deep-seated issues surrounding victim safety and the justice system.
