Timothy Lee Romano appeared in front of Seventh District Judge George Harmon Monday for sentencing on his no contest plea regarding two counts of aggravated sexual abuse.
Judge Harmon sentenced Romano to no more than five years on each count. The sentences will run concurrently. Romano’s attorney, Sam Chiara, and county attorney Jeremy Hume agreed with the recommedations given in the pre-sentencing evaluation. Judge Harmon had serious concerns with the sentencing recommendations. Chiara addressed those concerns, including the lack of remorse the defendant had shown in the evaluation.
After listening to the statements from both Chiara and Hume, Judge Harmon was not moved and expressed that he was still very bothered by the recommendations.
“I am not clairvoyant or do not have a crystal ball to know what exactly happened,” he said. “However, this child is so damaged that how could he not have known. He has a duty to take care of the child. That is what I have to take into account when sentencing. The symptoms had to have been obvious for some time, not just when [the child] told. The absence of doing nothing, I feel, is just as bad.”
Romano was immediately transported to the Utah State Prison.