LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has charged Sizhe Weng, 30, also known as Steven Weng, with multiple counts of sexual assault involving several women from 2021 to 2024 while he was a doctoral student at the University of Southern California.
District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman stated, “No one should ever have to endure the trauma of being drugged, sexually assaulted and stripped of their ability to consent.” He added that the prosecution team is committed to holding the defendant accountable for these actions and encourages any additional victims to come forward.
Weng, whose date of birth is August 16, 1995, faces charges in case number 25CJCF05617. He has been charged with one felony count of forcible rape, two felony counts of sodomy by controlled substance or anesthesia, one felony count of rape by controlled substance, and four felony counts of sexual penetration by controlled substance or anesthesia.
The charges allege that Weng raped three women after administering incapacitating drugs via food and drinks. Following his arraignment on September 2, Weng pleaded not guilty to all charges. The court granted the prosecution’s request to hold him without bail.
A preliminary hearing is set for January 14, 2026, in Department 31 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. If convicted, Weng faces a sentence of 25 years to life along with 56 additional years in state prison and would be required to register as a sex offender for life.