Doctoral student drugged women’s drinks, then raped them, California cops say

A doctoral student was arrested after being accused of drugging and raping women, California officials said.

Sizhe Weng, 30, from China, who was enrolled at the University of Southern California was accused of spiking the food or drink of three women from 2021 to 2024, then raping them, according to an Oct. 15 news release by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

He was charged with forcible rape, sodomy by controlled substance or anesthesia, rape by controlled substance and sexual penetration by controlled substance or anesthesia, prosecutors said.

The investigation began when police received a tip from German authorities, according to a news release posted on X by the Los Angeles Police Department’s public information officer.

Weng pleaded not guilty Sept. 2 and was being held without bail as of Oct. 15, prosecutors said.

If convicted, he is facing 25 years to life plus 56 years in prison and must register as a sex offender for life, prosecutors said.

Additional victims, whether living locally or abroad, are asked to call LAPD at 213-486-6890.

“I know a lot of times there’s trepidation in terms of victims coming forward because they think they could be re-victimized,” Los Angeles Police Department’s Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told NBC 4 . “We have no plans on letting this individual out of our custody anytime soon.”