A Rhode Island man who fled the U.S. and faked his own death before adopting different aliases until he was finally exposed by staff in a Scottish hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic was found guilty of rape in Utah.

Nicholas Rossi, 38, whose legal name is Nicholas Alahverdian, was convicted by a jury in Salt Lake County on Wednesday, August 13, of sexually assaulting a former girlfriend in 2008. The trial lasted three days. He will be sentenced on October 20.

First-degree felony rape carries a punishment in Utah of five years to life in prison, said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill.

"We are grateful to the survivor in this case for her willingness to come forward, years after this attack took place," Gill said in a statement Wednesday night.

"We appreciate her patience as

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