RICH COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — A 45-year-old man charged in the violent attack of a woman while at Bear Lake in 2021 is headed to prison, but it isn’t immediately clear how long his sentence will actually be.

John Sharkey was sentenced last week on one count of first-degree felony aggravated burglary. Ten additional charges, including first-degree felony aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, and sexual extortion, were dismissed as part of an unexpected plea deal. 

Sharkey’s sentencing was scheduled in February but postponed due to the victim in this case objecting to the plea deal, saying she was never made aware one was being offered. 

But during the next sentencing hearing, Judge Angela Fonnesbeck denied the objection to the plea deal stating the prosecutors had proven they had made multiple attempts to reach the victim without any further response. 

Sharkey’s attorney asked for credit for the 25 months he already served and a chance at probation saying addiction was the main reason for his behavior, but didn’t dismiss that the acts were particularly violent. 

Sharkey then addressed the court and said he believes he has it in him to be a better person through the love and support of friends and family and the atonement. 

The prosecution argued that Sharkey has a pattern of violent behavior and despite a decent upbringing and a supportive family, he continued to abuse others and has proven to be dangerous to the community. 

Judge Fonnesbeck then addressed Sharkey saying:

Despite the choice of relationship, despite the choice of activity during that relationship, we don’t allow people to treat their dogs the way you treated [the victim]. It’s not acceptable, it’s not appropriate, it’s not allowed in our societies and communities. It’s intolerable, and it’s disgusting. It doesn’t matter to me what you were on, what you were taking, or your history, we don’t treat people that way.

Judge Angela Fonnesbeck

The judge then imposed the 5-years-to-life sentence and said it would be up to the parole board if they wanted to give him credit for time served. 

According to court documents, on January 26, 2021, Sharkey threatened a woman he was dating with a knife and told her he would kill her he then pulled out a pellet gun, hit her, choked her until she passed out, poured seltzer water all over her face and nose and urinated on her before taking her phone away and recording her naked. 

Sharkey then locked her outside in 12-degree weather without any clothes, so the woman ran to the resort office to ask for help, according to documents. 

This isn’t the first time Sharkey has been convicted of violently assaulting his girlfriend.

According to Fox21 in Colorado Springs, in 2009, during a two-hour ordeal, Sharkey strangled his girlfriend, brutally assaulted her both physically and sexually, then left her naked body outside in the cold. The woman collapsed trying to find help when someone found her and called 911. The attack left her with 27 stitches, a gash on her forehead, a traumatic brain injury, and a strangulation bruise from her ears to her chin. 

Sharkey was sentenced to 10 years in prison for that case, but because he was on probation for another brutal attack on a woman in Gunnison, Colo., from 2006, he was given an additional 6 years. 

Despite his habitual crimes against women, the Colorado Board of Pardons let Shakey out of prison early and ended his parole by April 2020. Sharkey then moved to Utah to be nearer to family. 

It will be up to the Utah Board of Pardons exactly how much time Sharkey will do this time, but it cannot be anything less than 5 years and up to the rest of his life in prison.