Former Park City attorney Joseph Wrona was sentenced to up to 15 years in prison on Friday after he admitted that he violated probation by sending a letter to his daughter, whom he was convicted of sexually assaulting.

Prosecutors said Wrona had permission to travel to Florida in September to obtain a scuba diving instructor’s license. But while there, Wrona used a different name to write a letter to his adult daughter, a violation of his 2024 sentencing terms.

Wrona originally avoided a lengthy prison sentence after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors and agreeing to immediately register as a sex offender upon release, with an additional stipulation preventing him from contacting his daughter for the remainder of his life.

Wrona served 243 days of a 364-day sentence after being released from the Summit County Jail on “good time” credit. He was close to completing his sex offender treatment program when the letter was mailed in September.

In a letter to the court, Wrona’s daughter said the incident left her feeling unsafe in her own home. She said she was worried he was following her, and she started writing down the license plate numbers of every car that tailed her for more than 5 miles. The daughter said she considered buying a gun and leaving town without alerting her friends or family.

“He deserves to go to prison,” said Summit County prosecutor Joseph Hill. “She deserves to be safe from him.”

Hill called the letter sent to Wrona’s daughter “manipulative” and “diabolical,” telling Summit County Third District Judge Richard Mrazik that Wrona had his chance for rehabilitation and failed. He said years have passed since the sexual assault in March 2022, and Wrona’s attempt to contact his daughter showed he is “still infatuated” with her.

Wrona openly admitted to sending the letter in court. He said it wasn’t planned and was a decision that he now regrets. He claimed he was reliving “positive memories” with his daughter while in Florida because she used to go on scuba diving trips with him. Those memories inspired him to contact her, with hopes that she would be open to communicating with him in the future.

“I hope she can accept my heartfelt apology for sending that communication,” Wrona said. “I want her to be happy. I want her to be successful. I want her to reach out to possible futures, and I realize those futures don’t include me. … I will never contact her again.”

Defense attorney Earl Xaiz said he didn’t want to justify the letter and called it a “serious lapse of judgment … without any rational basis.” However, Xaiz urged Mrazik to consider that Wrona hadn’t contacted his daughter from March 2022 to September 2025, and that he did not make any threats or attempt to call or visit her during that period.

Xaiz requested that Wrona be allowed to continue with supervised probation, but with traveling privileges revoked.

Prosecutors disagreed with Wrona’s explanation that it was an impulsive move driven by nostalgia, though. Hill specifically noted a previous statement in which Wrona admitted to looking at his daughter’s photos on Instagram. He also said it was difficult to believe the letter wasn’t planned, considering Wrona needed to track down his daughter’s address to send it.

“It’s chilling that he knew where this person was living and mailed the letter to her,” Hill said. “He can’t be believed.”

Mrazik ultimately sided with prosecutors and sentenced Wrona to up to 15 years in prison. He said Wrona “willfully violated” probation and that the decision to send the letter as if it were written by someone else demonstrated Wrona was not a good candidate for release.

“I encourage you to use your time in confinement to reflect and to repent,” Mrazik said.

Wrona has the right to appeal the ruling within 30 days.

The post Joe Wrona sentenced to prison after admitting to probation violation appeared first on Park Record.

Former Park City attorney Joseph Wrona denied violating his probation in Third District Court last week, though records obtained by The Park Record allege he contacted the woman he sexually assaulted — a move his sentencing terms prohibit.

Wrona, 62, is being held without bail in the Summit County Jail after Judge Richard Mrazik issued a warrant for his arrest on Sept. 22. He’s scheduled to appear in Third District Court at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 10 to argue why he should not be punished for the alleged violation. 

Court records detailing what Wrona is accused of are marked as private. However, the Utah Department of Corrections fulfilled a Government Records Access and Management Act request for supervision logs tracking Wrona. 

The Adult Probation and Parole report states officers were contacted by a Park City Police Department detective on Sept. 15 about an investigation into Wrona over a letter he sent to his adult daughter, whom he was convicted of sexually assaulting in 2024.

Wrona was sentenced to 364 days in the Summit County Jail and was ultimately let out early on “good time” credit. 

The conditions of Wrona’s release stipulated that he immediately register as a sex offender, which he did. He was also required to have 48 months of supervision, and he had to abide by Class A sex offender conditions, including a curfew, not congregating at places where children may be, such as schools or playgrounds, and notifying law enforcement if he travels outside of Utah for at least 10 years after his probation ends. The Third District Court also ruled that Wrona is prohibited from contacting his daughter for the remainder of his life.

Probation officers also met with Wrona on Sept. 15, who said he was nearing the end of his sex offender treatment, which included therapy, and his exit lie detector test was scheduled on Sept. 17. According to the logs, Wrona said “treatment has gone very well and he is happy about nearing the end of it.” He also asked about a termination request to end his probation early.

The following day, probation officers met with the Summit County Attorney’s Office and Sheriff’s Office to discuss the possible violation of the protective order. They stated a typed letter was sent to the woman’s home, but it had some handwriting that may belong to Wrona, according to the report. However, investigators declined to place Wrona on a hold at that time until they collected more evidence.

Wrona went to his probation officer’s office on Sept. 18. They discussed a citation he received for failing to adhere to a stop sign and a warning for an expired registration. Wrona was then informed that the Sheriff’s Office had opened an investigation for potential new charges. He was taken into custody and booked into the Wasatch County Jail on a 72-hour hold.

The County Attorney’s Office planned to interview Wrona and hoped to secure a warrant for his electronics to see if he wrote the letter in question, the report said.

The supervision logs range from the date Wrona was sentenced on Jan. 5, 2024, to Sept. 22, the day Mrazik issued a warrant for his arrest. Wrona was released from the Summit County Jail on Sept. 6, 2024, and made contact with his new probation officer the same day. 

Wrona met with his probation officer about once a month. He confirmed his residence in Park City as well as a second home in Moab, and he stated that he ran his own business and provided consulting for old clients from his attorney’s office. He would also guide backpacking trips in Moab for those clients.

He started the sex offender treatment program in late October of 2024 and was meeting with a therapist every other week. Occasionally, he would request to travel out of state to places such as California and Las Vegas with his children for trips or vacations. He planned to take a trip to Florida the day after he was booked into the Wasatch County Jail.

Throughout the logs, officers routinely stated there appeared to be no concerns or violations.

Mrazik will determine next week whether Wrona violated his probation. If Wrona is found to have violated the sentencing terms, the court can terminate, revoke, extend or otherwise modify his probation.

Wrona could face up to 15 years in prison for violating the rules. He previously pleaded guilty to forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony, and incest, a third-degree felony.

The defense attorney representing Wrona did not return a request for comment by the time of publication.

The post Joe Wrona held without bail pending probation violation hearing appeared first on Park Record.

An arrest warrant was issued Monday for Joseph Wrona, a once-prominent Park City attorney who was convicted of sexually assaulting his adult daughter.

Third District Judge Richard Mrazik ordered Park City police to arrest Wrona, 62, and deliver him to the Summit County Jail for allegedly violating probation. Wrona was being held in the Wasatch County Jail as of Tuesday morning, according to corrections records.

Details about the probation violation were protected. Wrona faces a potential 15-year prison sentence for violating the rules.

Wrona pleaded guilty to reduced charges early last year after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors in November 2023. Community members were outraged at the time, demanding a harsher punishment for the crime.

Mrazik in January 2024 sentenced Wrona to the Utah State Prison for indeterminate terms of one to 15 years for forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony, and up to five years for incest, a third-degree felony.

However, the prison sentence was suspended, and Wrona was ordered to serve one year starting immediately. The sentence exceeded the state sentencing guidelines for these crimes, the Summit County Attorney’s Office said at the time.

The former attorney was released from the Summit County Jail on Sept. 5, 2024, after 243 days. The Utah Code sets special provisions on sentences for good behavior, allowing Wrona to earn up to 10 days of “good time” credit against his sentence for every 30 days served.

The conditions of Wrona’s release stipulated that he immediately register as a sex offender, which he did. He was also required to have 48 months of supervision and had to abide by Class A sex offender conditions, including a curfew, not congregating at places where children may be, such as schools or playgrounds, and notifying law enforcement if he travels outside of Utah for at least 10 years after his probation ends.

The Third District Court also ruled that Wrona is not allowed to contact his daughter for the rest of his life.

Defense attorneys for Wrona initially planned to argue that the physical relationship between the father and daughter was consensual. Wrona’s guilty plea to the amended forcible sexual abuse charge means he admitted he touched his daughter without her consent.

At the time, all parties in the case said that the outcome was more favorable than the uncertainty of a trial. The young woman who was assaulted was consulted and agreed to the details of the plea agreement. 

Defense attorneys for Wrona were not available by the time of publication. The Summit County Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the case.

Wrona is expected to appear before Mrazik during the next available court date. A day and time had not been set as of Tuesday.

The post Summit County judge issues warrant for Joe Wrona after alleged probation violation appeared first on Park Record.

Disgraced attorney Joe Wrona has been released from the Summit County Jail on good behavior more than 100 days before the end of his sentence.

In January, Wrona pleaded guilty to the sexual assault of his adult biological daughter and was sentenced to serve 364 days in the Summit County Jail.

However, the Utah Code sets special provisions on sentences for good behavior. Wrona earned up to 10 days of “good time” credit against his sentence for every 30 days served, ending his punishment after 243 days.

Defense attorney Greg Skordas, who represented the once-prominent Park City lawyer throughout the criminal case, confirmed Wrona was released on Sept. 5. A Summit County Sheriff’s Office inmate log from Sept. 11 did not list his name.

The conditions of Wrona’s release mandate that he immediately register as a sex offender, which he has. He will have 48 months of supervised probation and must abide by Class A sex offender conditions including a curfew, not congregating at places where children may be such as schools or playgrounds and notifying law enforcement if he travels outside of Utah, for at least 10 years after his probation ends.

The Third District Court also ruled the 61 year old is not allowed to contact his daughter for the rest of his life. If Wrona violates the rules, he faces a potential 15-year prison sentence.

Wrona pleaded guilty to reduced charges after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors in November 2020. Community members were outraged at the time, demanding a harsher punishment for the crime.

Third District Court Judge Richard Mrazik sentenced Wrona to the Utah State Prison for indeterminate terms of one to 15 years for forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony, and up to five years for incest, a third-degree felony. Wrona was originally charged with first-degree felony rape in June 2022.

However, the prison sentence was suspended and Wrona was ordered to serve one year in the Summit County Jail starting immediately. The sentence exceeded the state sentencing guidelines for these crimes, according to the Summit County Attorney’s Office.

All parties in the case said the outcome was more favorable than the uncertainty of a trial. The young woman who was assaulted was consulted and agreed to the details of the plea agreement. 

The woman’s attorney shared a victim impact statement during the sentencing detailing her experience growing up in an unstable home without knowing her father. She later met Wrona during her high school graduation. Years later, she said she was coerced into maintaining a relationship with him. Wrona then became possessive and controlling. That’s when the sexual assault started.

Wrona read a statement “trying to take responsibility” for his actions, but he attempted to justify the nature of his relationship with his daughter. 

Defense attorneys for Wrona initially planned to argue that the physical relationship between the father and daughter was consensual. Wrona’s guilty plea to the amended forcible sexual abuse charge means he admitted he touched his daughter without her consent.

“Realistically, because of his power over her, we acknowledge that it did negate consent,” Skordas told the court in January.

The post Joe Wrona released from Summit County Jail on ‘good time’ credit appeared first on Park Record.