Plea deal offered to Nicholas Rossi in Utah County rape case
Dec 17, 2024, 6:37 PM
PROVO – Nicholas Rossi, the man accused of faking his own death and fleeing the country to avoid rape charges, has been offered a plea deal in a 2008 rape case out of Orem.
The details of the state’s deal have not been made public yet, but Tuesday was the initial deadline for Rossi to either accept or reject it.
“We, in conversations with the state, are very close to a decision as to whether or not the defendant is going to be accepting the state’s offer,’ said Defense Attorney Daniel Diaz, in 4th District Court on Tuesday.
Diaz informed Judge Derek P. Pullan that the state has agreed to give Rossi more time to consider the offer. State Prosecutor Stephen Jones confirmed the extended window and then responded to Judge Pullman’s question asking how long the state’s offer to Rossi is open.
“Judge, I really do think that is it. I talked with Mr. Diaz and Mr. Diaz spoke with his client and he will have an answer definitively by that date in January,” Jones said.
Once again, Rossi refused to attend Tuesday’s hearing. When Pullan pressed as to why, his attorney claimed that Rossi didn’t feel it necessary to attend the hearing if it was for scheduling purposes.
“Do I need to authorize any use of force to get him to come? I can’t take his plea if he is not going to show up.” Pullan said.
Diaz assured Pullan that Rossi would appear at the January 7, 2025, hearing at 1 p.m. to inform the court of his decision on the State’s offer.
Rossi is also charged with sexually assaulting a woman in South Salt Lake in 2008. He has pleaded not guilty in that case and a trial is set for April.
