I’m writing to express my outrage regarding the proposed sentencing of a mere 365 days in county jail for Joe Wrona after pleading guilty to two felonies, incest and aggravated sexual assault with the intent to inflict emotional and physical harm upon his daughter.
The proposed sentence is an unprecedented insult to the survivor in this case, and a significant reason why survivors of sexual violence do not speak up when they are assaulted.
Wrona entered his guilty pleas to two felonies on Nov. 20, in the Park City, Summit County, first degree felony rape case: incest (3rd degree felony) and aggravate sexual assault with intent to do emotional and physical harm (2nd degree felony). These are punishable up to five years and 15 years, respectfully, in Utah state prison. This is a most vile, heinous crime. The totality of his daughter’s trauma is unthinkable.
It’s incomprehensible such an incredibly violent crime to a man’s own child, regardless of her age, would garner merely a year in county jail.
Wrona had opted out of his daughter’s life prior to birth, refusing to acknowledge her existence, never seeking visitation or custody. Shortly before her 23rd birthday he made contact on the pretense of wanting to include her in his life.
What followed over the course of seven months was a series of expensive vacations, shopping sprees, and an invitation to live in Park City, where he then isolated, controlled and abused her, culminating in a savage rape on March 29, 2022. All at the hands of the one man who should have been protecting her from harm: her father.
Twenty-three Utah men have been found guilty and convicted of these two specific charges together in the last 25 years (1998 to present) in Utah and have been sentenced to no less than five years in prison. Why would Wrona receive such a sentence of extreme privilege?
Here’s the breakdown from Utah’s Dept of Corrections:
- 0-5 years: 0%
- 5-10 years: 4%
- 10-15 years: 18%
- 15-20 years: 36%
- 20+ years: 42%
The majority, 96%, are at least 10 years with the bulk (78%) getting 15-20 years. Several received life in prison without the possibility of parole.
A sentence of merely 365 days in county jail screams of Wrona’s immense privilege as a wealthy white male attorney, proving once again justice is not just in sexual violence cases, even in the egregious case of incest.
As in any plea deal, Judge Mrazik retains 100% discretion of sentencing and is not bound by the proposed 365 days in county suggested during the Nov. 20 hearing in this case. What’s been suggested is an insulting “sweet deal” outcome for dangerous felon Wrona. It’s exactly the cause for survivors of violent sexual crimes to remain silent.
Wrona should be sentenced to 20 years: five for incest and 15 for aggravated sexual assault with intent to cause emotional and physical harm. Anything less is not right. There’s no precedence for it nor is it justice.
An appropriate sentence for justice to be served for this vile, heinous crime is not 365 days in county jail, but 20 years in Utah state prison.
This is the charging document:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mMG3SxSBx7R6nYRouJ_Jz7E1KUOISizr/view?usp=drivesdk
Please do the right thing for this incest and sexual violence survivor.
Bobbe Kerr
Park City