A student from the University of Southern California (USC) is in trouble with the law. Sizhe “Steven” Weng, who is 30 years old, is accused of giving drugs to three women and then sexually assaulting them. This information comes from court documents filed on September 2nd.
These alleged incidents reportedly happened between 2021 and 2024 while Weng was studying for his doctorate at USC.
The district attorney’s office in Los Angeles County has charged Weng with several serious crimes, including rape and using drugs to commit sexual acts. Weng has stated that he is not guilty.
According to the court documents, Weng reportedly told police officers about the assaults after they arrested him on August 28th.
The women involved include two friends from China and a classmate from Weng’s doctoral program.
One of the alleged incidents involved Weng giving a woman benzodiazepine pills at a bar in San Diego in December 2021. Later, at their hotel, he is accused of using a syringe to inject her with a sedative and covering her face with a towel soaked in anesthesia. He then allegedly tied her up and sexually assaulted her.
Police officers searched Weng’s home and found items such as sexually explicit photos, sedatives, leather straps, syringes, and dental devices.
The investigation started after police in Los Angeles received information from authorities in Germany.
Weng began his Ph.D. program in electrical engineering at USC in 2020 and started working as a teaching assistant in 2023.
USC has said they are helping with the police investigation and have banned Weng from the campus while the legal proceedings are ongoing.
The university has stated that its top priority is to provide a safe environment for everyone.
Weng is currently being held in jail without bail.
His lawyer, Daniel Perlman, claims that his client is innocent and that they will fight against these accusations.
Perlman hopes that the media will give as much attention to Weng’s acquittal as they have to his arrest.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual abuse, you can text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to speak with a trained counselor.
