PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison Monday for kidnapping his ex-girlfriend.
Rainier resident James Cooley, 61, received a 120-month prison sentence with three years of supervised release.
Court documents say that on May 18, 2020, Cooley traveled to his ex-girlfriend’s home in Ilwaco, Wash. uninvited, which eventually led to a confrontation.
Cooley tied the woman’s hands with zip ties and drug her to his car before putting a knife to her throat and shoving her in the backseat, according to federal prosecutors, and threatened to kill her multiple times on the drive back to Rainer.
According to the U.S. District Attorney’s office, after they arrived at his house, Cooley’s sister, who also lives in Rainer, spotted the ex-girlfriend at the residence and called the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office to report the incident after the ex-girlfriend told her she thought Cooley was going to kill her.
Cooley was charged by criminal complaint with kidnapping on June 17, 20202. He waived indictment and pled guilty to the single charge on Feb. 11
If you need assistance or know someone who needs help, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or texting START to 88788. Many communities throughout the country have also developed support networks to assist survivors in the process of recovery.
