A Niles man who was convicted of raping and kidnapping a former girlfriend was sentenced to 35 years in prison Monday.

In common pleas court, 41-year-old Cecil Flenner listened as his victim read a statement about the night when he broke into her Howland home, raped and beat her over a period of several hours.

"What he kept telling me over and over was he was going to kill me.  I went to sleep that night in my own home thinking I was safe, only to wake up to Cecil beating me", the woman said.

It was only when Flenner fell asleep on her couch that the woman managed to call 911 for help.