San Diego

Man Who Groped Multiple SDSU Students Sentenced to Prison

The man sexually assaulted four female students near campus

A man who groped and sexually assaulted four San Diego State University students will spend the next two years in state prison. 

Minda Shewangizaw, 20, grabbed a woman's buttocks as she was walking near the Aztec Corner Apartments on Montezuma Road on August 29, 2017.  He then groped another woman’s chest area and grabbed her arm, trying to pull her towards him.

Less than an hour later, he groped two more women on the Aztec Student Union Pedestrian Bridge on Aztec Circle.

A judge said Monday that Shewangizaw will face a low term prison sentence for the crimes due to his age and lack of criminal record. 

Before sentencing, Prosecutor Judy Tascher read victim impact statements in court.

"He robbed me of security in my own body," one of the victims wrote. "To this day, I can feel the way his hands groped and pulled me closer to him as I did everything I could to fight him off." 

Shewangizaw also faces a $1,200 fine. All four women were granted a restraining order against him for ten years. He cannot come close to SDSU campus in that time as part of the restraining order. The sentence was the result of a plea bargain. 

"It at least helps to bring a sense of peace hopefully to know their voices have been heard," said Tascher of the victims after the hearing. 

Shewangizaw pleaded guilty to two felonies: sexual battery and false imprisonment and two misdemeanors of sexual battery.

He did not attend SDSU, campus police confirmed to NBC 7 at the time of his arrest.

The U.S. Marshals Service arrested Shewangizaw on September 1 in connection with a different crime on the UC Riverside campus. He was accused of sexual assault. That trial has not started yet, Tascher confirmed.  

Marshals arrested Shewangizaw at a local supermarket in San Diego where he worked.

Contact Us