A shocking case from Oregon has culminated with 57-year-old Michael Meyden being sentenced to two years in prison for drugging his daughter’s friends during a sleepover. Meyden, who is from Lake Oswego, was arrested after accusations surfaced that he had spiked the smoothies of his 12-year-old daughter’s friends with benzodiazepine, a depressant known to slow the nervous system. The unsettling events unfolded on August 26 of the previous year, during a sleepover at his residence.
According to a police affidavit, Meyden made multiple trips to the basement where the girls were sleeping, performing ‘tests’ to check if they were asleep. Following the consumption of the smoothies, one of the girls started feeling ‘woozy, hot and clumsy’, and in a desperate move, another girl texted her mother around 2 am, asking to be picked up because she felt unsafe.
Meyden surrendered to the authorities in late February but initially pleaded not guilty to several charges, including causing another person to ingest a controlled substance, as stated by the Lake Oswego Police Department. However, court documents later revealed that Meyden changed his plea to guilty and was subsequently sentenced to two years in prison.
Additionally, Meyden will face three years of post-prison supervision. Prosecutors mentioned that the charges that were dropped would not have contributed to a longer sentence. On Monday (June 10), Meyden admitted his guilt in the Clackamas County Circuit Court to three counts of causing another person to ingest a controlled substance, as reported by prosecutors and one of his attorneys, Jeff Turnoy.
During his sentencing, Meyden expressed remorse, stating, “My whole life is destroyed. Everything that was important to me up until that point is gone,” as per The Independent. He attempted to justify his actions by explaining that the girls had not gone to bed by 11 pm as planned, and he wanted to ensure they were well-rested for the following day.
In a poignant moment in court, two of the mothers confronted Meyden about his crimes, each advocating for a longer sentence of four and a half years, according to KFYRTV.
One mother told Meyden, “I have cried and I have raged all while doing my best to wrap my daughter in all the love and support I can possibly give her to help her heal from what you did. Look at me.”
Statements from three of the victims also underscored the depth of their suffering and resentment towards Meyden. One victim articulated the impact of his actions on her life, labeling him as a monster, while another condemned him as a “rotten old man who did this to children.”
This case has left a lasting impact on the victims and their families, bringing to light the grave consequences of such reprehensible actions.