Former Hopland Man Convicted of Raping Co-Worker After Drugging Her Drink

A former Hopland resident, Matthew R. Mayo, 45, was convicted on May 20 in Mendocino County Superior Court of raping an incapacitated person, administering a drug to facilitate a sex crime, and distributing an intimate image without consent.

The Mendocino County District Attorney's Office announced the verdict. The crimes occurred in May 2020, when Mayo, then a licensed respiratory therapist at Howard Hospital in Willits, invited a co-worker to his home for beers and a movie.

He offered her a beer secretly laced with zolpidem, marketed as Ambien, a central nervous system depressant. District Attorney David Eyster described the drink as a 'Mickey Finn.' Zolpidem, typically used for insomnia, rapidly induces muscle relaxation and sedation, impairing judgment and the ability to consent.

The victim later recalled partial memories and reported the assault to law enforcement. In July 2023, the Respiratory Care Board of California restricted Mayo's license, barring him from working as a respiratory therapist pending the case.

After the verdict, Mayo was booked into Mendocino County Jail without bail. An aggravation trial is scheduled for next week, followed by a probation report and sentencing.

The DA thanked expert witnesses, including Dr. Kristen Marin, Carolyn Heitsman, Richard Kreutzer, and Dr.

Marc A. LeBeau, and praised the victim's courage and perseverance over the six-year investigation and court process.