Queens Doctor Sentenced to 24 Years for Sexual Assaults and Voyeurism

A former gastroenterologist in Queens has been sentenced to 24 years in prison after being convicted of multiple sex crimes, including raping sedated women and filming himself during the assaults. His victims and advocates argue that the punishment is too lenient given the severity of his offenses.

Zhi Alan Cheng, 35, was found guilty of four counts of first-degree rape and three counts of sexual abuse, stemming from accusations that he sexually assaulted women at hospitals and in his private residence. He also admitted in a plea deal to sexually abusing seven women, with additional charges dropped to avoid a potential life sentence.

The sentencing allows Cheng to be released at age 60, but he will remain under 10 years of post-release supervision and is required to register as a sex offender for possibly the rest of his life. The judge and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz praised the outcome, emphasizing the importance of survivor testimony in achieving justice.

Cheng was employed at New York-Presbyterian Queens until late 2022, when a woman accused him of drugging her to unconsciousness. Authorities found disturbing videos during a search of his home, which depicted him groping sedated women as young as 19 and raping others who had been drugged, some of whom he met online.

The brave survivor who uncovered the videos initially contacted prosecutors, leading to a joint investigation with hospital authorities. In addition to the sexual assault evidence, law enforcement recovered various drugs, including cocaine, fentanyl, ketamine, LSD, MDMA, and sedatives like propofol and sevoflurane.

Cheng remains held without bail, and his medical license has been suspended as he awaits further legal proceedings.