The Lewiston man accused of keeping three woman against their wills in his condo was sentenced to 14 years in prison this morning.
Iver Phallen, 68, was before a judge in Niagara County Court Thursday morning, and was sentenced for three felony charges of assault.
Those charges were reduced from the more than 200 he originally faced, which included sexually abusing and torturing women. Police found ropes and torture devices inside his apartment.
7 Eyewitness News Reporters Matt Bove and Rachel Elzufon were in the courtroom, and say two women spoke out, talking about the horror they faced, and the physical and mental scars the incident left them with.
One victim told the Judge that she now has "no trust in men," after the beatings and whippings that occured at Phallen's residence.
Another victim said that Phallen hanged her for his own sexual gratification, and that "my pain was his pleasure."
"I had to watch myself slowly not breathing and wondering do my children really know I love them," the victim recalled in tears.
She said that Phallen had told her he had killed previous victims. According to the prosecution, the three victims were told by Phallen that they were victim numbers 19, 20 and 21 in the chronological order of the assault.
"The best case scenario was that it was to abuse and torture his victims mentally," said Peter Sydysh of his crimes. Sydysh added that there is no way to know if more.
Phallen's defense attorney, James Grable, stated that an investigation, that spread to outside of western New York, would have found additional victims if there had been more.
Since his suicide attempt in November of 2015, Phallen's spiritual adivsor, a classmate from high school, said that he became a born again Christian.
"It's time for everyone to heal," said Father Francis Pompei, who emphasize that Phallen knows he needs to serve his sentence.
Phallen said he was, "Deeply, deeply sorry," and that he, "Prays every day for the healing of my victims."
The judge who sentenced Phallen said she was, "stunned, appalled, and disgusted" with the case, as she put him behind bars for more than a decade.
He was also sentenced to 20 years post-release supervision. However, he will not have to register as a sex offender.
