Man who raped and held 74-year-old captive for two years receives record sentence

Man Sentenced to Four Centuries for Holding Woman Hostage

A man has received an unprecedented prison sentence of nearly four centuries for holding an elderly woman hostage in a motel for two years. Ian Edard Chloe, 58, subjected the 74-year-old victim to ongoing fear and abuse, repeatedly raping her and making threats whenever she attempted to escape from the hotel where she was confined, according to the San Mateo County Regional Lawyer’s Office.

Chloe, originally from Minnesota, reportedly developed a relationship with the victim, a family friend, in 2016 after expressing sadness over his mother’s death. However, his behavior quickly escalated. Once he began exerting control over her, he commenced a cycle of repeated assaults and financial exploitation. He was held in the Belmont Hotel, known as Hyatt House, for that entire period of imprisonment, the District Attorney’s office revealed.

“What started as a friendship took a horrifying turn. This man transformed into a predator,” said San Mateo District Attorney Stephen Wagstaff following Chloe’s conviction on 33 felony counts.

Wagstaff stated that Chloe received a life sentence of 394 years. The case was deemed unlike any seen before, showcasing the severe nature of his crimes.

Starting in August 2020, Chloe began coercing the victim into sexual acts while threatening to kill her if she tried to flee. He not only inflicted psychological torment but also indicated he would torture her for weeks if she attempted any escape.

In 2021, the woman suffered a broken ankle, and Chloe denied her medical care, even as she endured considerable pain, prosecutors noted.

It wasn’t until August 2022, when the victim secretly reached out to a friend, that she managed to leave and return home to New Mexico, prompting authorities to respond.

When found by Belmont police, she was in a dire state—naked, bruised, and unable to move due to injuries, including broken fingers.

Chloe is facing numerous felony charges, including torture, forced sodomy, and false imprisonment. Remarkably, he had no significant criminal history before this incident, according to Wagstaff.

“This sentence is one of the longest ever handed down in San Mateo County, and it reflects the gravity of Chloe’s actions against this woman,” he stated.

Chloe has made attempts to claim that all interactions were consensual, even suggesting that the victim had taken control over him through witchcraft.