SPANISH FORK -- A judge gave Roberto Roman to 10 years in prison in connection with the death of Millard County Sheriff's deputy Josie Greathouse Fox.
Roman, 40, was sentenced for felony evidence tampering and a weapons violation. At his trial, a jury acquitted him of aggravated murder in Greathouse Fox's death.
"In my opinion, you got away with murder," Fourth District Court Judge Donald Eyre told Roman on Wednesday.
Judge Eyre said he wished he could give him more time to serve in prison. Roman said nothing as the sentence was handed down. Fox's family left the courthouse still angry at the jury's verdict.
"Ten years is not enough," said Hunter Winn, Fox's daughter. "Everyone knows in their heart that piece of s--- killed my mom. Everyone knows."
Inside court, Fox's husband, Douglas Fox, expressed frustration at the verdict. He said his wife helped "so many people" as a deputy, and Roman took that from her.
"It's horrible, the outcome of this," he told the court. "Hopefully, down the line, he'll get his just desserts."
Roman was accused of killing deputy Fox in February 2010 after she responded to a traffic stop just outside Delta. At his trial, Roman claimed it was Fox's brother, Ryan Greathouse, who had killed her. Prosecutors blasted that version of events and insisted it was not true.
Ryan Greathouse died in April 2010. Roman and another man, Ruben Chavez-Reyes, were ultimately captured in Beaver, where authorities said they had intended to flee to Mexico.
Outside of court, defense attorney Stephen McCaughey said they were contemplating an appeal of Roman's sentence. He also confirmed to FOX 13 federal authorities may be preparing to level separate charges against Roman.
