A doctor from Shikko Queens, Zhi Alan Cheng, who sexually assaulted sedated patients and raped a woman he met online, was sentenced to 24 years in prison on Thursday. Some of the victims feel this punishment is insufficient.
The 35-year-old former gastroenterologist at New York Presbyterian Queens received the sentence after being found guilty of four counts of first-degree rape and three counts of first-degree sexual abuse.
Cheng entered a guilty plea in June regarding his crimes. In return, the district attorney’s office agreed to drop a predatory sexual assault charge, but he still faced a substantial sentence.
Initially, he was charged with over 50 counts linked to sexual abuse, as noted by the DA’s office.
After the verdict, Nicholas Liacas, an attorney for one of Cheng’s victims, expressed concern that even with strong evidence, plea deals remain possible in this district, which sends a troubling message to the community.
A group of Cheng’s survivors previously criticized the Queen’s DA’s office for what they termed a lenient sentence.
One survivor remarked on how Cheng, being relatively young, could potentially rebuild his life after serving just two decades. She questioned the obligation to victims when leniency such as this is granted.
Cheng’s sentence allows for his release when he turns 60, but he will remain on a sex offender registry and under supervision for a decade post-release.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz emphasized the severity of Cheng’s offenses, stating he violated women both as a doctor and a partner, targeting those who came to the hospital in need.
Katz expressed gratitude towards the survivors for their courage in coming forward, highlighting how their actions helped bring justice to this case.
Cheng worked at New York Presbyterian Queens until late 2022, when he was allegedly caught by his girlfriend, who discovered he had sedated her with a drug-laced mask.
Upon learning of video evidence showing Cheng assaulting her and other women, the courageous survivor reported him to the authorities.
A collaborative investigation by the Queens DA’s Special Victims Office and the hospital culminated in a search warrant at Cheng’s residence, where disturbing videos were found.
Prosecutors revealed that, at the tender age of 19, Cheng was experimenting with sedatives at the hospital.
The evidence also included footage of him assaulting an unconscious and seemingly drugged woman.
In total, it is reported that Cheng assaulted seven women and entered an Alford plea for another count related to an eighth victim, where he maintained his innocence despite acknowledging his guilt.
Authorities also uncovered a stash of drugs, including cocaine, fentanyl, ketamine, LSD, and MDMA, alongside sedatives like propofol and sevoflurane.
Cheng was held without bail, and state authorities intervened to suspend his medical license amidst these severe allegations.
