A Chinese national studying at the University of Southern California has been charged with multiple felony counts after allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting three women over several years.
Prosecutors say Sizhe “Steven” Weng, 30, carried out the assaults between 2021 and 2024 while pursuing a doctoral degree at USC. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced the charges in a news release Wednesday.
Weng was arraigned on September 2 and pleaded not guilty to all counts, which include one charge of forcible rape, two counts of sodomy by controlled substance or anesthesia, one count of rape by controlled substance, and four counts of sexual penetration by controlled substance or anesthesia.
“No one should ever have to endure the trauma of being drugged, sexually assaulted, and stripped of their ability to consent,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman.
According to LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton, Weng, a Chinese national, had been under investigation for months. Authorities began looking into him after receiving a tip from German officials earlier this year, who reported he may have committed similar crimes in Europe.
Detectives executed a search warrant at Weng’s residence near the USC campus on August 28, where he was taken into custody. He had reportedly been in the United States on a student visa since 2021.
Investigators believe there may be additional victims. “If you have had any kind of contact with this individual, our Robbery-Homicide detectives would like to speak with you,” Hamilton said.
Weng’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 14. If convicted, he faces a potential sentence of 25 years to life plus 56 additional years in state prison, and lifetime registration as a sex offender.
“Prosecutors in my office’s Sex Crimes Division and our law enforcement partners will not rest until the defendant is held accountable for these horrific acts,” Hochman said. “We want every victim to know their voices matter and we will fight to ensure they are heard.”
This story was originally published by The Western Journal.