A Utah judge has sentenced Nicholas Rossi, 38, to a minimum of five years in prison for the 2008 rape of a woman in Salt Lake City. Rossi, who faked his death and fled to Scotland to avoid prosecution, was convicted in August after a three-day trial. The sentence, handed down on Monday, is indeterminate, meaning Rossi could serve up to life in prison, with the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole determining his actual release date.
Rossi, also known as Nicholas Alahverdian, was arrested in Scotland in 2021 after hospital staff recognized his distinctive tattoos from an Interpol notice. He had been receiving treatment for Covid-19 at the time. His extradition to the US was completed in January 2024 following a lengthy legal battle. During the proceedings, Rossi claimed to be an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight and maintained his innocence at sentencing, stating, 'I am not guilty of this. These women are lying.'
The victim, whose identity is protected, testified that Rossi became hostile after their engagement and raped her in his bedroom. She reported the assault years later after learning Rossi was accused of raping another woman. In a victim impact statement, she said Rossi left a 'trail of fear, pain and destruction' and called for 'safety and accountability.'
Rossi faces a second sentencing on 4 November for a separate rape conviction in September, involving another victim in Orem, Utah. He also faces fraud charges in Ohio and was previously wanted in Rhode Island for failing to register as a sex offender. Investigators say he used at least a dozen aliases to evade capture over the years.
