The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday a former USC student was charged with eight felony counts of sexual assault that occurred between 2021 and 2025.
The student, identified by officials as Sizhe Weng, 30, was arraigned on September 2. He is accused of drugging and raping three women while enrolled as a student at USC, according to the D.A.’s office.
“Providing a safe environment for learning, teaching, and research is our top priority. The university has been fully cooperating with the Los Angeles Police Department in this matter,” the University said in a statement to Annenberg Media. “Although we cannot discuss individual cases due to student privacy laws, we can confirm that the university had already taken appropriate steps to bar the individual in question from campus pending resolution of the criminal proceedings.”
The USC Viterbi Cronin Research Lab’s webpage shows Weng graduated from USC with an M.S. in Electrical Engineering in 2020. He worked as a research assistant at the Cronin Lab, according to the webpage, which also includes a notice from May 16 congratulating Weng on completing his Ph.D.
Annenberg Media has reached out to Weng and the Cronin Lab for comment.
The announcement of Weng’s arrest was made during a news conference at the LAPD’s headquarters in downtown L.A., during which the department asked for help in identifying additional victims.
“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,” said L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman in a statement. “We urge additional victims, whether you live locally or abroad, to contact the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division to report any suspected crimes.”
The D.A. office’s statement shows Weng pleaded not guilty to all charges and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for January 14. If convicted, he would face 25 years to life plus 56 years in California state prison. The office provided Annenberg Media with copies of their statement and the public complaint but did not provide further comment, citing the fact that the case is still pending.
According to the public complaint, three of Weng’s charges were allegedly committed on or around December 10, 2021. Three more counts allegedly occurred between August 1, 2022, and August 31, 2022. The last two counts allegedly took place between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2024.
In addition to listing Weng’s charges, the public complaint also notes Weng allegedly “took advantage of a position of trust and confidence to commit [the offenses].” It also alleges the “manner in which [he] carried out [the offenses] indicates planning, sophistication, and professionalism.”
Department of Public Safety Assistant Chief David Carlisle told Annenberg Media that DPS has no involvement in the case, which the LAPD is handling.
The University concluded its statement to Annenberg Media, saying, ”USC has not received any reports from individuals potentially impacted. The Trojan Family may always contact USC Report & Response, the Confidential Advocacy, Resources, and Education Support Center (CARE-SC), or the USC Office of Civil Rights Compliance. More information is available at report.usc.edu.”
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