FARMINGTON — A man prosecutors called “narcissistic” was sentenced to prison for kidnapping his ex-in-laws in Syracuse.
Judge David C. Hamilton sentenced Joshua Latoice Cronin, 30, to serve two sentences of up to five years concurrently in the Utah State Prison on two counts of third-degree felony kidnapping.
“Mr. Cronin has a narcissistic attitude,” said Deputy Davis County Attorney Brandon Poll in the hearing on Wednesday.
Cronin “never mentions his crimes” to the Adult Probation and Parole officer who prepared a pre-sentence report, Poll said. Instead “he sees himself as the victim.”
Cronin is “a danger to himself and to others,” Poll said.
Cronin’s former in-laws, Noel and Millie Bess, each spoke to the judge during Wednesday’s hearing about the night in October of 2010 when Cronin kidnapped them.
“It’s important for us that you know Mr. Cronin absolutely had a gun and that he threatened to blow our brains out if we did not take him to our daughter,” Millie Bess said.
Cronin was in the middle of a divorce with their daughter, Desiree Bess. They have since divorced. Cronin had their son with him for a visit and had did not returned him. He called the Besses and said he would meet them in Syracuse to return the toddler. Instead, he entered their car and demanded they take him to see Desiree Bess.
Cronin tried to force the couple to take him to Desiree at gunpoint, but they refused, police said.
“The last thing we want is for (Cronin) to harden, but the last thing I want is for my family to be wiped out,” Noel Bess said.
Cronin’s attorney, Ron Yengich, said his client has realized the mistakes he has made and wants to get psychiatric help. Yengich said he doubts prison will be able to help Cronin with his mental issues and drug addiction.
Cronin said before he was sentenced, “I take full responsibility for what I put the Bess family through. I would never hurt them physically.”
Cronin blamed his choices on the divorce and the custody lawsuit.
“It happened out of fear of losing my son,” Cronin said. “I would never, ever think of harming them.”
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