Former NASA engineer charged with sexually assaulting 2 women released on $500K bond, records show

Two women have come forward, accusing NASA aerospace engineer Eric Sim, 37, of sexually assaulting them in 2021. Sim faces two counts of sexual assault and was arrested on Friday, subsequently released on a $500,000 bond. Both women reported meeting Sim on a dating app and going on several dates with him prior to the alleged assaults. Janna Oswald, division chief of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking, Child Exploitation, and Adult Sex Crimes Division, noted that Sim presented himself as an educated and affable individual, with his NASA employment adding to his perceived trustworthiness. The alleged assaults occurred at Sim’s home in 2021, following what the women believed would be dinner dates that took a distressing turn.

According to Oswald, one woman suspected she was drugged before the assault and woke up with unexplained injuries and evidence of sexual intercourse. Court records indicate she contracted an STD from the assault. The other woman reported informing Sim that she was unwilling to engage in sexual activity, yet he proceeded to forcefully assault her. Promptly after Sim’s arrest, authorities executed a search warrant at his residence based on threats regarding potential videos in his possession. Oswald mentioned a victim’s assertion that Sim possessed a box of items believed to belong to other women. One victim, alleging drugging, reported a missing necklace the following morning.

Oswald emphasized the likelihood of additional victims, citing social media groups and posts where women claimed similar assaults but felt unable to report them to law enforcement directly. Defense attorney Neal Davis, retained by Sim upon his arrest, asserted Sim’s innocence and his shock and devastation at the charges. Sim gained notoriety for his role in a video remake of the viral dance “Gangnam Style” posted by NASA’s Johnson Space Center 11 years ago. However, NASA has not commented on Sim’s employment status. For further updates on the story, Mycah Hatfield’s coverage can be followed on Facebook, X, and Instagram.