TULSA, Okla. — An Osage County man is sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Prosecutors say Sammy Fridenberg spent years terrorizing multiple children—at least two of them were children his parents took in as foster children and later adopted.
Two of Fridenberg’s adopted sisters spoke at sentencing: Alexis Fridenberg and Sarah Payne. They were visibly shaking as they read their victim impact statements, and both demanded that he look at them as they spoke.
Appearing much thinner than his mugshot, 2 News asked him as he exited the courthouse if he had anything to say to the victims.
“I do not have anything to say to anyone right now,” he said.
“I am happy that it is over, that I can breathe a little easier, sleep a little better. I can exist in the world a little easier,” said Alexis Fridenberg.
Alexis Fridenberg was placed into foster care at the age of four. She says that from seven to 18, their foster parents’ biological son, Sammy Fridenberg, molested her daily.
Sarah Payne, Alexis’s birth sister, was also placed in the home and was also abused.
“I don’t think 25 years is enough, but I have hope—I know this sounds bad—that he will die there,” said Payne.
“I took everything back today—that power, that control,” said Alexis. “I made that little girl at seven years old feel safe today, for the first time in her entire life.”
It took at least a decade to get charges filed against him. Alexis believes Oklahoma Human Services (commonly known as DHS) failed to protect or believe her.
Throughout the years, Sammy Fridenberg went on to collect more victims—the youngest is 11-years-old today.
Fridenberg pleaded guilty to all nine charges against him. He was sentenced to 25 years for each charge, to be served concurrently, with no credit for time served.
“I am shocked he admitted to it, because I spent my childhood being called a liar,” said Payne.
The judge said he probably would not have accepted a plea deal in this case if Sammy Fridenberg, 60, were any younger.
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