Iowa Crime Victims
– When Anthony Fasano Attacked Me
On July 4 2019, Anthony Fasano, of Council Bluffs Iowa, physically attacked me, my older sister and mother. Anthony was/currently is my brother in law. This is how I became an Iowa Crime Victim.
I never expected to be a victim of a crime. Things like this didn’t happen in our family. We are not perfect, but I never thought this would happen at my childhood home.
As a result of Anthony Fasano attacking me I required hip surgery and ended up with 4 anchors in my hip to repair the damage. I spent months in pain and am currently in recovery, which is hard but not as painful as the injury.
– Why this Site
I have anchors in my hip. My life is completely altered, forever, because of this attack. During this process the justice system showed me first hand that victims have limited rights in the state of Iowa. We have no voice.
I was blissfully ignorant to this before Anthony Fasano physically attacked me. I had no clue what victims are forced to deal with.
I want this site to be a place for victims to:
- Have a voice to tell their story
- To inform the general public about what rights victims don’t have
- To shine a light on the injustices of the system and hopefully make changes
- Understand the resources out there
Knowing what I know now, about the justice system, I can’t just look the other way. I hope that other victims will join me in telling their stories. I hope that if you’ve never been a victim you will look at this and understand:
Becoming a crime victim can happen to you at any time. You don’t get to choose if someone like Anthony Fasano will attack you. You don’t get to choose to be a victim of a crime.
I hope that you will join us in first understanding the injustices and then in taking action to provide victims with rights.
Charges for Anthony Fasano
As a result of physically attacking me, my mother, and older sister the charges filed against Anthony Fasano included:
- One willful injury – I assume this was charged from him pressing his keys into my throat and threatening to kill me by cutting my throat. He did this multiple times.
- Two assault with bodily injury – For the hip injury and bruises on me, and the assault to my mother.
- Two child endangerment – Anthony Fasano attacked me in front of his children then 11 months and 11 years of age. Putting them in danger, especially as the 11-month-old was right next to me when the attack occurred.
- Two harassment – These charges came from texts that were sent that were threatening to our family.
My older sister chose not to press charges which is why there were no charges that involved her, even though she was bruised as well.
Anthony Fasano Sentence Summary
The plea deal that the county attorney offered Anthony Fasano saw him plead guilty on 12/5/19 to:
- 2 assaults with bodily injury
- 2 child endangerment with a deferred judgement so they will be off his record in 2 years.
Restitution is still being worked out, but for all this he received 7 days in jail, which I believe may be work release and probation. The justice system doesn’t do a great job of informing the victim so I may not have that exactly correct.
Needless to say I do believe that Anthony Fasano got off lightly. He caused me months of pain. Months of physical therapy. He threatened to kill me. His attack lead to 4 anchors in my hip! Seven days of jail, in which he might be released to go to his job at Union Pacific? I didn’t have the option to work after surgery. I had to use my PTO. I had to make it work. Why does he get possible work release? Again, I’m being VERY careful in my wording here, because it was not made clear to me what the final sentencing was. After I gave my victim impact sentence I returned to the court room and everything was done at the bench where you cannot hear what is going on. You can check his record online at iowa courts online, but I’m not sure how to read the legal parts of what he was sentenced with. If I have this wrong, please tell me and I will correct it.
Types of Injustice
You may be wondering what types of injustice I’m talking about. What rights don’t victims have? This is too long to go into, but a few I will expand on in future blog posts:
- Finding out, as the victim, that sentencing for your attacker is in 4 days, the same day as your post-surgery appointment. What are you going to choose? Letting your voice be heard at sentencing or your health?
- Finding out by accident that there is a plea deal that will let your attacker practically walk with no real consequences.
- Being asked by the county attorney not to make posts on what happened to you.
- Being told by the county attorney that she is not going to give you any tips for making a victim impact sentence, because it will just be potshots about how she did her job
- Having a victim’s advocate PROMISE you that the man who attacked you to the point you need surgery isn’t stupid enough to attack you in a court setting.
- Having your attacker able to sit next to you in the court waiting area with his friend making comments about your family when he is under a no contact order.
- Cops and county attorney not looking into crimes that were turned in with evidence, BUT allowing the attacker’s “character” be considered and prior history being used as a part of the sentencing.
There are so many more. I just hope you join us in this journey.