Bend PD: Man gave young woman drugs, assaulted her; say other victims possible
Police report on second incident referred to DA's office
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A 30-year-old Bend man was arrested Monday on charges he met a 20-year-old woman on a dating website, provided alcohol and drugs, then sexually assaulted her. Police said he may face charges in a second similar incident, and said they have reason to believe there may be other victims.
Police received two reports, in late January and late February, in which Brigham “Briggs” Scott Lazalde was the suspect in reported sexual assaults, Lt. Juli McConkey said.
In each case, it was reported that he met women on dating websites, provided drugs (alcohol and psilocybin mushrooms) and then sexually assaulted them, McConkey said.
Lazalde was contacted and arrested around 7 a.m. Monday at his home in the 20000 block of Southwest Merriewood Lane, she said. He was lodged in the Deschutes County Jail on charges of first-degree sexual penetration, first-degree sodomy and furnishing alcohol to a minor, as the incident involved a 20-year-old Bend woman.
The report on the late-January incident, involving a 29-year-old woman, was submitted to the district attorney’s office for a charging decision, McConkey said.
The police spokeswoman said they have “reason to believe there may be more victims in the area who have not yet come forward.”
“The Bend Police Department encourages all (victims) of sexual assault to report the crimes,” McConkey said in a news release. “Sexual assault survivor resources and information (are) available to help guide them through the recovery process.” To make a report, call county dispatchers at 541-693-6911.
