A USC graduate student has been charged with drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women — and investigators believe there may be more victims who haven’t yet come forward.
Police say 30-year-old Sizhe Weng, a Chinese national and USC doctoral graduate who also goes by Steven, was arrested on August 28. The announcement came during a Wednesday morning news conference outside LAPD headquarters in downtown Los Angeles.
Weng faces serious felony charges, including one count of forcible rape, multiple counts of sexual assault by administering drugs or anesthesia, and rape by controlled substance. Prosecutors say the alleged assaults took place between 2021 and 2024, while Weng was a student at the University of Southern California.
He has pleaded not guilty. His next court appearance is scheduled for January 14, when a judge will decide whether the case moves forward to trial.
The investigation began in January after U.S. authorities received a tip from police in Germany, where Weng had also spent time. LAPD detectives worked alongside the FBI and German law enforcement during the probe.
During Weng’s arrest, investigators searched his residence and say they uncovered evidence linking him to drug-facilitated sexual assaults dating back to 2021.
“We’re looking at him facilitating sexual assault by administering drugs,” LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told reporters. A photo of Weng was displayed during the press conference.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Weng is accused of targeting three women but that detectives don’t yet know how many may have been victimized. Police are urging anyone with information to contact the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division at 213-486-6890 or leave an anonymous tip through L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
“No one should ever have to endure the trauma of being drugged and sexually assaulted,” Hochman said in a statement. “We want every victim to know their voice matters and we will fight to ensure they are heard.”
USC released a statement saying it is cooperating fully with law enforcement. The university also confirmed it has barred Weng from campus while the case moves through the courts.
Weng is currently being held without bail at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles. If convicted on all charges, he could face a life sentence and mandatory sex offender registration.
Stop taking in these communist s
Why the hell we even have Chinese nationals here, they should not be allowed into the country.