Monday, February 11, 2013
The former University of Iowa student was charged with first degree kidnapping sexual assault, which would have led to a life in prison sentence. He entered a guilty plea to a lesser charge today.
A native of China and former student of the University of Iowa who was facing first-degree kidnapping charges pleaded guilty today to lesser charges. According to the Daily Iowan, Peng Tang, 22, entered a guilty plea today to several charges: Peng Tang, 22, plead guilty Monday to sexual abuse in the third degree, extortion, and a separate charge of soliciting to tamper with a witness. With his plea deal he faces up to 17 years total in prison. He may face up to 10 years for the sexual abuse charge, five years for extortion, and two years for the solicitation. His guilty plea to sexual abuse in the third degree was an Alford plea — a plea given to a defendant when he believes he could be convicted however is not admitting to committing a …
Iowa City Man Accused of Raping Woman Has Bail Set at $750,000, Placed on Hold for Deportation, University of Iowa, Peng Tang, Yet to Stand Trial for Sexual Assault, Now Also Formally Charged of Breaking Into Another Residence, Stealing Laptop, Bras, Underwear, and 2 more ›
Thursday, December 27, 2012
The first-degree kidnapping charge against Peng Tang drew a lot of interest both locally and abroad back in the spring.
Editor's Note: As the year winds down, Iowa City Patch is looking back at some of the stories that made you talk, cry, laugh or just scratch your head. Updates to this Story Since it was Originally Published: By Stephen Schmidt Originally published on April 5, 2012 The Iowa City man accused of sexually assaulting a woman who was showing him her apartment for rent last week found her through a website that caters to Chinese nationals, according to a search warrant filed as part of court documents at the Johnson County Courthouse. According to the search warrant, the woman who reported to police that she had been sexually assaulted had placed her ad on zhan.renren.com with the intent of subletting her apartment. The warrant stated that …
Monday, October 1, 2012
Peng Tang will stand trial on a sexual assault charge following an alleged incident between him and an Iowa City woman in March.
The trial for a man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in her apartment under the premise of being a prospective renter in March is scheduled to continue this week. Peng Tang, 21, is due to appear at 9 a.m. on Friday at the Johnson County Courthouse. This is a continuation of a hearing on a defense motion to suppress on Sept. 7. That hearing was not completed, and additional time was required, according to court records. The hearing on Friday has a maximum three-hour window, and attorneys are to notify the court administrator if additional time is requred. According to online court documents, Tang, of Iowa City has waived his right to a speedy trial within 90 days of the accusation. This has allowed the trial that had been scheduled …
Friday, September 7, 2012
There was a report of the sexual assault near the Biological Sciences Library at about 9 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7.
From a University of Iowa news release: UI Police Receive Crime Report The University of Iowa Police received a report of a sexual assault that occurred near the Biological Sciences Library at about 9 p.m. on Thursday, September 7th, 2012. The victim reported she was walking alone along the the south side of Jefferson street when she was pulled from behind into the alley and sexually assaulted. The victim sustained minor injuries. The suspect is described as a white male, mid 20's, 6'2" tall, 220 lbs., medium build with short hair. He had a scar over the left eye close to his temple and no facial hair. He was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and sweatshorts. Anyone with information about this incident should call the UI Police …
Monday, August 6, 2012
The man is accused of approaching two women Sunday morning and forcibly groping one of them before they ran away.
A Seattle man is facing misdemeanor sexual assault charges after he allegedly groped a woman who was out for a Sunday morning walk in Iowa City. According to a media release from the Iowa City Police, officers were called to the intersection of Market and Dubuque Streets at 5:43 a.m. for a report of two women saying a man was acting suspiciously. The women met with the officer and reported that they had been out on a Sunday morning walk when a man ran up to them from across the street and asked them for the time, according to the release. As one woman answered, the woman said that he started "to touch her inappropriately" in such a way that made them fear that he was attempting to sexually assault her. The woman not being groped yelled at…
Monday, April 16, 2012
After his parents were accused of the same crime, Tang is now accused of witness tampering for writing a letter to a friend to try to convince the woman who reported him of sexual assault to change her story.
It is a minor crime compared to the first-degree kidnapping charge he now faces, but adding witness tampering to the mix puts even more of a damper on things for Peng Tang. Tang, 21, is accused of sexually assaulting a woman who told authorities she had been originally under the impression she was showing him an apartment for rent. With the woman's help, authorities arrested Tang the next day. According to a criminal complaint, Tang is accused of sending a letter to a friend trying to convince the woman to change her story. Tampering with a juror or witness is an aggravated misdemeanor. Tang is also facing a first-degree kidnapping charge potentially punishable by life in prison. On April 4, Tang allegedly asked his friend to relay a …
Sunday, April 15, 2012
On Friday Tang pleaded not guilty to charges that he had sexually assaulted a woman he reportedly met through a listing on a Chinese social network.
The court administrator turned away visitors who arrived in ones and twos to the arraignment —at least a half dozen—including three young Asian men. “You here for Tang?” she asked, from behind her desk outside the court room. “Yes,” they hesitantly answered. “There’s nothing to see here,” she let them know, “it’s just paperwork.” So Peng Tang’s written not guilty plea Friday afternoon, submitted by his lawyer, did not match the strange drama of the preceding days. The awaited event at the Johnson County Courthouse turned out to be nothing more than a documented confirmation with Tang, 21, of Iowa City not even in attendance. With many questions about the case still unanswered, there weren't the revelations that some were hoping for. When …
Friday, April 13, 2012
Tang has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman who was advertising her apartment for rent.
Many questions remain surrounding the accusation that Iowa City man Peng Tang sexually assaulted a woman while she was showing him her apartment for a possible sublet. But one question was answered on Friday: how would he plea? Not guilty. Tang, 21, was not in attendance as his lawyer entered his written plea of not guilty in a routine affair Friday afternoon at the Johnson County Courthouse. This came as a disappointment for some, as a few onlookers who came to see a show were turned away by a court administrator with the admonition that there was "nothing to see." Tang has been charged with first-degree kidnapping, a Class A felony, for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman who had intended to show him an apartment for a potential …
Thursday, April 12, 2012
The case of a man accused of sexual assault got even more complicated last week.
Iowa City police have charged the parents of the man accused of raping a woman two weeks ago with attempting to tamper with a witness through bribery -- the witness in this case allegedly being the victim of the assault. According to an Iowa City Police criminal complaint, Peng Tang's parents -- his mother Li Qiao, 49, and his father, Xuefan Tang, 57 -- arrived in Iowa City and began staying at Tang's apartment at 923 E. College St. on or around April 5. It was at this time that they are accused of allegedly telling people they knew that they should find the woman who was accusing their son and to "persuade" her to change her story, with the possibility that she would be paid to do so. According to the complaint, the woman's friends told …
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
By Friday it will be determined how Peng Tang will plead to his accusations of sexual abuse.
The man accused of raping an Iowa City woman is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Friday. Peng Tang, 21, of Iowa City, has been charged with first-degree kidnapping, a Class A felony, for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman who had intended to show him an apartment for a potential sublet agreement. Tang's arraignment will be at 2 p.m., where he can enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. He can also enter a written plea before this arraignment as well. Court records show Tang has also been assigned an intrepetator to help him understand the process. First-degree kidnapping carries with it a potential sentence of life in prison. Tang is now being held in the Johnson County Jail with a bail set at $750,000, and Immigration and …
Maria Houser Conzemius
10:44 am on Monday, October 1, 2012
Look for the Johnson County Attorney's office to screw this trial up as well. That's certainly what I'm expecting. more ›