By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Los Angeles County prosecutors are reviewing a criminal case involving former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell following an investigation into allegations that he drugged, raped and choked a Beverly Hills woman during a 2018 encounter at a West Hollywood hotel. The review represents a new stage in the legal scrutiny surrounding the former California congressman, who resigned in April after several women publicly accused him of sexual misconduct.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office confirmed Friday, Oct. 16, that it had received the case from the Sheriff’s Department on Sept. 21. Prosecutors are now determining whether the evidence warrants criminal charges. No charging decision has been announced, and Swalwell has denied allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.
The investigation centers on allegations made by Lonna Drewes, a former model and business owner who publicly accused Swalwell of assaulting her during their third meeting in July 2018.
Drewes appeared at an April 14 news conference in Beverly Hills alongside attorneys Lisa Bloom and Arick Fudali, describing an encounter in which she alleged that Swalwell rendered her incapacitated before sexually assaulting her.
According to Drewes, the two initially met through social and professional connections while she was operating a fashion technology business and considering a political career. She said Swalwell offered to introduce her to individuals who could assist with her professional ambitions.
Drewes alleged that during their third meeting, she became severely intoxicated after consuming a single glass of wine, leading her to believe her drink had been drugged.
She said Swalwell subsequently took her to a hotel room after telling her he needed to retrieve paperwork before attending another event.
Describing the alleged assault during the April news conference, Drewes said, “He raped me and he choked me.”
“While he was choking me, I lost consciousness and I thought I died. I did not consent to any sexual activity,” she added.
Her attorneys said they intended to provide supporting information directly to investigators rather than release it publicly. The allegations have not been established in court.
The Sheriff’s Department confirmed in April that its Special Victims Bureau had opened an investigation into the reported incident. The inquiry has since advanced to prosecutorial review, according to NBC News reporting published Friday.
The department’s referral does not mean prosecutors have concluded that a crime occurred. The district attorney’s office must evaluate the evidence and determine whether charges can be supported under applicable criminal law.
The Los Angeles investigation is one of several legal inquiries involving Swalwell following allegations that became public earlier this year.
In August, federal investigators seized electronic devices belonging to the former congressman after serving a search warrant at San Francisco International Airport.
According to an August 20 Daily Mail report, FBI agents approached Swalwell after he arrived at the airport and confiscated devices as part of a criminal investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.
The San Francisco Standard also reported that federal investigators executed a warrant involving Swalwell’s electronics, citing 18 U.S.C. § 242, a federal statute addressing the deprivation of constitutional rights under color of law.
Subsequent reporting confirmed that agents seized an iPhone and MacBook Pro. Federal authorities also searched Swalwell’s Washington, D.C., residence.
The Associated Press independently reported that federal agents seized the devices and searched the residence as part of an investigation involving sexual misconduct allegations. Details of the underlying investigation remain limited because the search warrant was sealed.
The federal investigation and the Los Angeles County review are distinct proceedings. Authorities have not publicly established whether evidence obtained through the federal searches will affect the district attorney’s charging decision.
The investigations followed a series of allegations that ended Swalwell’s congressional career and his campaign for California governor.
On April 10, the San Francisco Chronicle published allegations from a former congressional staff member who said Swalwell sexually assaulted her on two occasions.
The woman, who worked in Swalwell’s office for approximately two years, alleged that he began pursuing her shortly after she joined his staff at age 21 in 2019.
She described two incidents in which she said she was too intoxicated to provide meaningful consent, including an encounter in 2019 while she was employed by his office and another in 2024 after she had left.
The Chronicle’s reporting was followed by a CNN investigation in which three additional women alleged misconduct involving Swalwell.
Two women accused him of sending unsolicited sexually explicit photographs, while another alleged that he sexually assaulted her in 2025.
The allegations prompted calls for Swalwell to withdraw from California’s gubernatorial election, including criticism from Democratic officials who had previously supported his candidacy.
Swalwell suspended his campaign April 12 and announced his resignation from Congress the following day. His resignation became effective April 14.
In a public statement addressing the allegations, Swalwell acknowledged making personal mistakes while maintaining that the criminal accusations were false.
“I will fight the serious, false allegations against me,” he said. “However, I must take ownership for the mistakes I did make.”
His attorney, Sara Azari, also rejected the accusations, stating that Swalwell “categorically and unequivocally denies each and every allegation of sexual misconduct and assault that has been leveled against him.”
Separate reporting raised questions about communications allegedly sent through Snapchat after the accusations became public.
In May, reporter Cristina Laila of The Gateway Pundit reported allegations that Swalwell had contacted younger women through the platform on the evening CNN published its investigation.
Those claims form part of the broader public reporting surrounding the former congressman, although the available information does not establish whether the alleged messages are relevant to the investigations currently under review.
Swalwell’s resignation also renewed attention to an earlier controversy involving his association with Christine Fang, also known as Fang Fang, a Chinese national whom U.S. intelligence officials suspected of conducting political influence activities.
Axios reported in 2020 that Fang cultivated relationships with several American politicians, including Swalwell, and participated in fundraising activities by connecting potential contributors with political campaigns.
Subsequent reports included allegations that Fang had intimate relationships with American political figures. A Capitol Hill source previously told The Federalist that Swalwell had a sexual relationship with Fang.
However, the original Axios investigation did not establish that Swalwell had such a relationship, and the allegation has not been publicly substantiated.
Swalwell said he assisted federal investigators after being informed of concerns about Fang. He was not charged with wrongdoing related to that matter, and the House Ethics Committee later closed its investigation without taking further action.
The earlier counterintelligence controversy is separate from the sexual misconduct allegations now being examined by prosecutors.
The current Los Angeles County case concerns a specific alleged incident in West Hollywood in 2018, while separate investigations have addressed allegations involving other women and encounters in different jurisdictions.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office also opened an investigation following allegations involving a former Swalwell staff member who said she was sexually assaulted during a 2024 visit to New York City.
The woman subsequently confirmed that she was cooperating with Manhattan prosecutors.
Swalwell’s legal representatives have maintained that he denies committing sexual assault and intend to challenge the allegations.
For the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the immediate question is whether the Sheriff’s Department investigation produced sufficient admissible evidence to support criminal charges arising from Drewes’ allegations.
Although conviction on certain sexual assault offenses can carry substantial prison sentences, no potential punishment can be determined without knowing which charges, if any, prosecutors might file.
The existence of an investigation, the execution of a search warrant and the referral of a case for prosecutorial review do not constitute findings of criminal guilt.
As of October 16, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office had not announced charges against Swalwell. Its review remains pending as the former congressman continues to deny the allegations against him.
Original article
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