Joe Wrona, the once-prominent Park City lawyer who pleaded guilty to the sexual assault of his biological daughter, will serve 364 days in the Summit County Jail.

Third District Court Judge Richard Mrazik on Friday afternoon ruled the court is bound by a plea deal Wrona reached with Summit County prosecutors in November unless the former attorney withdraws the agreement, despite public outcry for the 60-year-old to receive a harsher punishment. Dozens of attendees wore green ribbons in support of sexual assault survivors.

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

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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. However, the prison sentence was suspended and Wrona was ordered to serve one year starting immediately. Wrona will then have 48 months of supervised probation and sex offender conditions, including being on the sex offender registry. 

The court also ruled Wrona must not have contact with his daughter for the rest of his life. The sentence exceeds the state sentencing guidelines for these crimes, according to the Summit County Attorney’s Office.

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Michael Langford, an attorney representing the survivor, read a victim impact statement written by Wrona’s daughter. She attended the sentencing hearing online, but did not speak.

The young woman detailed her experience growing up in an unstable home without a father and how she dreamed of meeting him. She first met Wrona at her high school graduation, though they didn’t stay in contact until years later. Wrona began taking his daughter on vacation and bought her a condo in Park City. She said she felt trapped and didn’t know what to do when the sexual assault started.

“He took away my last bit of innocence. I was 22. I still had so much left,” she wrote, characterizing Wrona as a “revolting excuse of a father.”

Wrona was stone faced as Langford read the letter. His attorney Greg Skordas appeared to become emotional. He later said he hadn’t spoken with the survivor and the contents of the letter were intense.

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

The 60-year-old also read a statement after he was sentenced. He described the first time he met his daughter and how he wanted to show her there was more to life. 

Wrona appeared to double down on the nature of his relationship with his daughter. He said he tried to do everything she wanted and then later tried to “atone” for his role in the relationship and the stigma his daughter would face. He also said he was “owning” the conviction.

“I’m trying to do what I can,” he said. “There has to be a path to redemption. I have to do these things. I recognize that. I am trying to take responsibility. Maybe people don’t want to hear that, but I am trying to take responsibility. The remorse that I feel would fill this room. The regret that I have, I cannot find the words to express that.”

Skordas said Wrona signed a statement stating he will lose his law license, although he hasn’t practiced since he was charged. The defense attorney said this was a significant punishment in addition to public humiliation. He added that Wrona “took accountability.”

Prosecutor Joseph Hill said the resolution is appropriate for many reasons, including trying to balance the well-being of a survivor with trial outcomes that are unknown.

“Perfect justice is seldom achieved in our criminal justice system. … Sometimes it’s entirely elusive,” he said.

Mrazik agreed there is tremendous value in certainty. He encouraged Wrona to use his time in custody to reflect upon the “thinking errors” that got him here and to repent.

Skordas said the defense would not appeal the decision.

Summit County prosecutors reached a plea deal with Wrona in November to amend the first-degree felony rape charge to forcible sexual abuse and incest, which are second-degree and third-degree felonies, respectively. First degree felony rape carries a mandatory sentence of five years.

Wrona was charged in June 2022 after the young woman accused her father of sexual assaulting her in March of that year. He originally pleaded not guilty. 

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

Summit County prosecutors accused Wrona of becoming “possessive and controlling” of his daughter as she attempted to make friends and gain independence.