A UC Irvine student is being held on $1 million bond accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl and threatening to share details of the attack on social media.

Detectives with the Irvine Police Department arrested 20-year-old Gaoyang "Gary" Li at Los Angeles International Airport on Feb. 22. Authorities believe he was attempting to return to China.

The investigation began on Jan. 29, 2019, when the 16-year-old victim told police that Li forced her to perform oral sex and then demanded money under the threat that he would post a video of the sexual assault on social media and send it to the victim's friends and family.

Authorities say the victim met Li on the Chinese dating app Tan Tan and the two agreed to meet after having further communication on the WeChat app.

Li is also suspected in another sexual battery case in Irvine, police said.

On Feb. 6, 2019, police found Li on the UC Irvine campus and was arrested but later released from custody. When detectives learned of his plans to travel out of the U.S., they arrested him once again, according to the Irvine Police Department. He is being held at Orange County Jail on $1 million bail.


Authorities believe there may be other victims in this case and ask anyone with any information, or that may have been a victim, to contact Detective Gavin Hudson at 949-724-7168.