Salvatore “Sam” Anello will serve his sentence in Michigan, where he lives, the government said.
In a statement after the sentencing, Anello said he agreed to plead guilty so that he and the girl’s family could focus on a civil suit against the cruise line.
Anello played with his granddaughter, Chloe Wiegand, aboard the Freedom of the Seas cruise ship as it docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico on July 7, 2019. Anello “negligently kept a minor out of a window on the 11th floor,” the government said, and Chloe fell 35 meters to her death.
Anello was charged with negligent homicide months after the incident and initially pleaded not guilty, but he changed his plea as part of a deal with prosecutors, said attorney Michael Winkleman, who represents Chloe’s family but does not represent Anello in his criminal case. .
On Monday, Anello said in a statement: “After this conviction, I feel a mixture of anger and relief. Relief that I am not serving a prison sentence and that I did not have to admit facts. Help for my family so that we can close this chapter and continue together. . “
He said he always thought the row of windows where he stood with Chloe was a “wall of glass,” with no indication that any of the windows could open.
Anello said he “had not committed a crime,” but decided not to dispute the allegations so that he would not have to admit facts or face a heavy fine.
“It was a choice to put our resources to use and decide the best way to tell Chloe’s story and to devote the energy of our family to the civil case.”
He added, “I miss you so much Chloe.”
According to a statement by Winkleman on Monday, the discovery phase of the family’s civil case against Royal Caribbean has been completed and “there is no evidence to support the argument that Salvatore Anello knew the window was open.”
A court date has been set for April, he said.