Adam Galli, the last of the "preppy bandits" to be brought to justice, is going to prison.
Third District Judge Pat B. Brian sentenced Galli to five years to life for his role in the aggravated robbery of Trolley Corners Theaters in May 1992. He faces sentencing early next year for two more unrelated robberies; the terms could be served either consecutively or concurrently."There are few crimes committed that are more egregious than the crime of robbery," Brian said before handing down his decision. "It causes trauma that few people ever live long enough to purge from their systems. . . . You put a monster into motion when you point a gun in someone's face."
The judge also lashed Galli for his three-year run from authorities - an escape precipitated by the decisions of six different commissioners and judges to lower Galli's bail.
The 27-year-old jumped the $40,000 bond and headed for California, where he worked in logging camps before hitchhiking to Minnesota. FBI agents found him working in a Northfield cabinet shop three months ago; he called himself August Cedergren.
Defense attorney Lisa Remal pointed to Galli's life in Minnesota as proof that the man had changed his attitude. He volunteered as a Swedish translator, donated time and money to fix up his apartment and made picture frames for people out of scrap material from his shop, she said.
"He has said he will never be involved in any criminal activity, and his actions during the past year give meaning to his words," she said.
But Salt Lake Deputy District Attorney Bob Stott said he did not see a rehabilitated man.
"I see a robber and a bail jumper. And while he was making picture frames for people, his family was giving their property up to a bondsman because (Galli) left them in a lurch."
Galli's father, Steven, attended the sentencing and said the $40,000 was a good investment, apparently believing his son had grown up during his run from authorities.
"If the reports we're getting from Minnesota are true, then it was money well-spent," he said. He would not elaborate after the sentencing.
Galli's brother, Aaron, and his cousin, Nathan, are serving prison time for a string of business robberies throughout the valley from 1991 through 1992. Another cousin, Christopher, was paroled last month after serving about three years; Nathan is scheduled to be paroled in May.
Both Adam and Nathan were also charged with the murder of Green Parrot Cafe employee Merritt Riordan, who was shot in a botched robbery in May 1992. Prosecutors dropped the charge against Nathan Galli after Christopher recanted his testimony.
The capital murder charge against Adam was dropped last month; prosecutors said they simply didn't have enough evidence to go to trial.