Utah parole board gives no breaks to man involved in Millard County deputy's death

Roberto Miramontes Román, sentenced to prison for up to 10 years on lesser crimes after being acquitted of murdering a Millard County Sheriff's deputy, got no breaks from the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.

The board decided last week that Román will remain incarcerated until October 2022, with no credit for time served prior to sentencing or any chance at an early release from the Utah State Prison.

Román, who is not in the U.S. legally, will be released to federal authorities when his sentence expires.

Román, 40, initially confessed to police that he fired the shots that killed Deputy Josie Greathouse Fox on Jan. 5, 2010, after she pulled over his car.

But at trial last August, Román recanted and claimed Ryan Greathouse, Fox's brother and a purported passenger in the vehicle, fired the fatal shots. Román told the 4th District Court jury he initially had taken the blame because he feared Greathouse might harm his children.

The jury acquitted Román of the murder, but found him guilty of two lesser third-degree felonies of tampering with evidence and possession of a firearm by a restricted person. He was sentenced in October to two consecutive zero-to-five-year prison terms.

Greathouse died of a drug overdose in Las Vegas four months after his sister's shooting. Greathouse's statement to police was ruled inadmissible at trial.

Don Blanchard said during Román's Feb. 7 parole hearing that Greathouse's death had provided Román "a bit of an out."

Blanchard asked Román several times if he felt he got away with murder. Román gave the same answer each time, telling Blanchard that he'd been advised to not discuss his case without the presence of an attorney.

Blanchard finally told Román that all the evidence indicated he had indeed gotten away with killing Fox.

brooke@sltrib.com