Sophomore charged with rape pleads not guilty

Armaan Premjee pled not guilty to criminal charges, including one count of rape by use of drugs and a count of sexual penetration with a foreign object, on Tuesday.

Premjee, a sophomore majoring in business administration, was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon. He was originally released on $100,000 bail, but Judge Mark Hanasono raised the bail amount to $200,000.

Hanasono ordered Premjee’s attorney to surrender his passport to LAPD and to not approach the alleged victim.

Los Angeles Police Department officers had arrested Premjee on April 11 for alleged sexual assault, according to LAPD.

The alleged assault took place at Fluor Tower residence hall around 1 a.m. on April 1, according to Department of Public Safety records.

“It was totally consensual sex,” said Harland Braun, Premjee’s attorney.

If Premjee is convicted as charged, he could face up to 10 years in state prison. His next court date has been set to June 6.

Premjee continues to be enrolled at USC.

“USC takes all reports of sexual misconduct extremely seriously and is cooperating fully with the law enforcement investigation,” the University said, in a statement to the Daily Trojan. “Information pertaining to student disciplinary records and proceedings or any matter of student conduct are confidential and protected by federal privacy laws.”