DENVER — Through tears, trembling voices and clear anguish in court Friday afternoon, a group of women shared their experiences of being drugged and sexually assaulted by a Denver cardiologist they had met on a dating app. But as evening fell outside the courtroom, there were tearful smiles and applause.
Just before 6 p.m. Friday, Judge Eric Johnson sentenced Stephen Matthews, now 37, to 158 years in prison, the maximum sentence.
In mid-August, a jury found him guilty on all but three counts that were filed against him following his arrest in March 2023 . In all, they totaled 35 counts which included multiple sexual assault charges and second-degree assault (drugging) in connection with the drugging and sexual assaults of nearly a dozen women. His March 2023 arrest came after a woman reported to Denver police that she had been drugged during a date and sexually assaulted at the defendant’s home. The following month, investigators said they believed Matthews may have been involved in “other incidents” and urged any other potential victims to contact Denver police. Matthews was arrested again in May 2023 , after nine more women went to police with similar allegations, with some dating back to 2019. They said they had met Matthews online, met for drinks and lost some of their memory of the aftermath, according to an arrest affidavit…