Woman sentenced for holding another woman captive for weeks

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A West Salem woman has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison for beating a woman held captive in her home with a wooden closet rod.

The Statesman Journal reports the woman had been trapped in 46-year-old Irish Boyce’s home for six weeks when she was discovered in October 2015.

Prosecutors say the victim went there in search of heroin but was tied to a bed, beaten, sexually assaulted and tortured.

Boyce’s then-boyfriend, 31-year-old Ronnie Lee Jr., was convicted on more than two dozen counts in the case earlier this month.

Boyce pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and testified against Lee.

Polk County prosecutors agreed to a sentence Monday of five years and 10 months.

Authorities said Boyce — who eventually alerted police — participated in some attacks.