A Pacifica man, arrested for drugging his girlfriend's teen daughter with sleeping medication and raping her, faces life in prison if convicted.
Paul David Messersmith, 47, was arrested by Pacifica Police mid-December after the 18-year-old girl told her mother — and then later police — that Messersmith allegedly placed a pill in some ice cream he gave her and was told the chunk was "an additive," according to prosectors.
The girl told police she felt "woozy" and laid on the couch when Messersmith began touching her and then later carried her to a bedroom and allegedly raped her.
She shared another incident where she ingested something that Messersmith had given her and she blacked out, waking up later in a hotel room with him fondling her, according to District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.
Police say they discovered the drug Messersmith allegedly used was Zolpidem, more widely known as Ambien, according to the District Attorney's office.
Messersmith, charged with forcible rape, rape by using an intoxicating substance, sexual penetration, sexual battery, and battery, will make a plea on Dec. 24. He faces life in prison if convicted because of the "rape by intoxication charge," Wagtaffe said.
He remains in custody without bail.
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