A Utah man was sentenced Monday after previously pleading guilty Monday in connection with the death of Dylan Rounds.
According to FOX 13, James Brenner was sentenced “up to 30 years in prison for each of the three counts he pleaded guilty to,” in connection with the 2022 death of 19-year-old Rounds.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, in 2022, Brenner guilty to second degree murder, a lesser charge that he agreed to in exchange for giving investigators the location of Dylan’s body.
He also pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm by a restricted person. In addition to the reduced charge, prosecutors dropped charges of desecration of human remains and a third charge of possession of a firearm, as well as an unrelated aggravated assault charge.
Rounds was last heard from at around 7 a.m. on May 28, 2022, when he told his grandmother by phone that he was “putting the grain truck in a shelter.” His family reported him missing two days later.
Investigators found Dylan’s boots during the search for him on his property, one of which contained a blood stain that was confirmed to be from Dylan. Investigators then found his remains close to the Nevada state line., in in Box Elder County.
Brenner, who was squatting on land near Dylan’s Utah farm and was named a suspect a month after the teen disappeared. He was arrested nearly a year later and charged with his murder.
During the hearing, a representative for the Rounds family described Dylan as “a dreamer, a builder, a visionary,” while condemning Brenner’s actions as “calculated,” noting his lack of remorse through court proceedings.
“Dylan helped you out so many times, whether it be hauling sugar beets or potatoes or whatever and this is how you repay him?” Dylan’s father, Justin Rounds, said, following sentencing.
When the judge asked if Brenner wanted to make a statement, he declined.
Meanwhile, Dylan’s family members, in light of his death, created a non-profit organization called “Dylan’s Legacy,” which aims to help families search for missing loved ones.
Additional reporting by KC Wildmoon
