A judge sentenced a former cardiologist at St. Anthony North Hospital to 158 years in prison for drugging and sexually assaulting women.

Denver District Judge Eric Johnson on Friday sentenced 37-year-old Stephen for 35 sexual assault-related convictions after he assaulted at least 11 women between 2019 and 2023, according to a news release from the Denver District Attorney’s Office.

“In here today, there is a room full of pain,” Judge Johnson said during the sentencing. “And this is pain that you caused your victims. So much suffering. None of it deserved.”

Johnson deemed Matthews a “sexually violent predator” who would likely harm someone else if released, eventually giving him the maximum sentence for his crimes.

“Mr. Matthews, you have diminished this world,” Johnson said. “Dimmed many of its lights, hurt our society and it is a darker place because of you.”

Matthews was arrested in March of 2023 after a woman reported he assaulted her after they went to brunch. After her story was made public, 10 additional women came forward to report they were victimized by Matthews.

Matthews’ trial began on July 15 and several victims claimed that they met with Matthews through dating apps like Hinge and Tinder. The women stated that they experienced memory loss after meeting with Matthews and family members and friends of some of the victims testified that the victims appeared abnormally drunk or disheveled after the dates.

“I am scarred by what happened to me that afternoon,” one victim shared at Friday’s sentencing. “I have been in therapy for the last 18 months. Stephen Matthews took away what normal looks like to me. I developed debilitating anxiety and PTSD when having sexual encounters where men touching me make me tremble and cry.”

After a nearly month-long trial, Matthews was found guilty of 35 of the 38 charges against him on Aug. 13.

“I hope this sentence sends the message to everyone in Denver that people who take advantage of others in the way that Mr. Matthews did will be prosecuted by my office to the fullest extent of the law,” Denver District Attorney Beth McCann said in the release. “I also hope today’s sentence provides a measure of comfort to all of Mr. Matthews’ victims, whose courage in coming forward resulted in this successful outcome.”

The Denver Gazette’s news partner, 9News, contributed to this report.