Sun Xiaoguo

Sun Xiaoguo (born Chen Guo and also known by his alias Li Linchen; 27 October 1977 – 20 February 2020 ), was a serial child rapist and gang leader from Kunming, China. He was known for the brutality of his crimes as well as his evasion of justice. Sun was originally sentenced to death in 1998, but his sentence was commuted to 20 years imprisonment due to corruption within the court system. He was released in 2010 after only serving for 12 years and 5 months and continued participating in organised crime under the alias "Li Linchen". During a crackdown on organised crime in 2018, Sun was arrested on charges of leading an organised criminal gang. When Sun's name appeared in the list of criminal gangs, his case attracted the attention of the media, as he had been sentenced to death 21 years prior. Sun's brutal methods stunned the investigating staff, and the phrase "[Deng] Xiaoping rules the day, [Sun] Xiaoguo rules the night" spread in Kunming. Sun was executed on 20 February 2020 by lethal injection.

Early life Sun was born in Kunming, Yunnan on 27 October 1977. In December 1992, before Sun reached the age of enlistment, his stepfather Li Qiaozhong took advantage of his position as deputy director of the Police Department of the Yunnan Border Guard Command to change Sun's date of birth to 27 October 1975. Subsequently, Sun served in various law enforcement positions.

Criminal activities

October 1994 – April 1996 On 16 October 1994, Sun, who was a student of the Public Security Border Defense Forces Kunming Command School,

On 28 October 1994, Sun Xiaoguo was detained, and on 4 April 1995, his arrest was approved. During this time, Sun's age was corrected from 19 back to 17. In an attempt to get Sun released, his mother Sun Heyu provided a false certificate of illness. On 20 December 1995, the People's Court of Panlong District sentenced Sun to three years in prison. In April 1996, the Kunming Intermediate People's Court dismissed his appeal.

1997 On 27 March 1997, Sun was released from prison because of medical procedures. According to the Chinese Yearbook of Law, within eight months of his release, Sun and his gang committed at least eight crimes, including rape, intentional injury, forced obscenity and insult to women, and provocation.

Between April and June 1997, Sun raped several underage girls in the Chayuan Lou Hotel. The victims included a 15-year-old girl, a 17-year-old female student and her friend,

1998 trial and aftermath On 18 February 1998, the Kunming Intermediate People's Court tried and sentenced Sun to death and deprivated his political rights for life for rape; 15 years imprisonment for assaulting women; 7 years imprisonment for intentional harm; 3 years imprisonment for provocation and nuisance; 2 years, 4 months and 12 days of imprisonment for other offences; the total punishment was death and deprivation of political rights for life. On 27 September 2007, the Yunnan Higher People's Court retrialed Sun and sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment.

In 2008, while Sun was detained in the Yunnan No.1 Prison, his mother, Sun Heyu, and stepfather, Li Qiaozhong, asked Yunnan justice system officials to change Sun's inmate assessment score to "active improver", and falsely credited several inventions to Sun. These falsifications counted towards the reduction of Sun's sentence.

In January 2009, Sun was transferred to the Yunnan No.2 Prison. Due to his supposed inventions and good behaviour, he was eligible for a commutation of two years and eight months.

2010 release On 11 April 2010, Sun was released after several commutations which resulted in an actual sentence of 12 years and 5 months. After being released from prison, he changed his name to Li Linchen, became a shareholder in several businesses and operated many bars in Kunming.

On the evening of 21 July 2018, Sun beat up a person known only as "Wang" in Guandu District, Kunming, causing them to be seriously injured and several other people to suffer various degrees of injury.

On 26 July 2019, the Yunnan Higher People's Court declared the original 2007 trial decision a mistrial and announced a retrial. Sun remained detained when he was re-tried.

2019 re-trial and execution On 14 October 2019, the Yunnan Higher People's Court re-tried Sun's 1998 rape and assault offences. In addition, the Yunnan Province People's Procuratorate filed a public prosecution for Sun's suspected participation in gang organisations after his 2010 release. Nineteen public officials and affiliates suspected of crimes relating to Sun's case were summoned to court for review and prosecution.

On 6 and 7 November 2019, the Yuxi Intermediate People's Court tried 13 people, including Sun, on suspicion of leadership and participation in gang organisations. The People's Court of Jiangchuan District of Yuxi City also tried Li Shuang and other 22 protectors involved in Sun's case of opening a casino, provoking trouble, assault, false imprisonment, fraud and intentional harm.

On 8 November 2019, the Yuxi Intermediate People's Court sentenced Sun to 25 years imprisonment, deprivation of political rights for 5 years, and confiscation of all personal property for organising and leading a gang, setting up casinos, causing trouble, false imprisonment, intentional harm, hindering testimony, and bribery. Sun's original 1998 rape trial was scheduled to occur later. On 17 December, the Yunnan High People's Court dismissed the appeal of 4 people including Sun.

On 14 December 2019, the Yunnan Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection investigated five officials involved in Sun's case. They were punished with warnings within the party.

On 15 December 2019, multiple courts issued sentences on 19 criminal cases involving government officials and important related persons in Sun's case. Among them, Sun's stepfather Li Qiaozhong was sentenced to 19 years imprisonment, and Sun's mother Sun He was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.

On 23 December 2019, the Yunnan Higher People's Court decided to uphold the first ruling of the Kunming Intermediate People's Court in February 1998, in which Sun was sentenced to death. On 12 February 2020, the Supreme People's Court approved the death sentence.

On 20 February 2020, according to the Supreme People's Court's execution warrant, Sun was executed by the Kunming Intermediate People's Court through lethal injection.

Rulings on Sun's associates Friend of Sun7 yrs.Sun FengyunHead of Kunming Yuxiangsui Jewelries Some defendants were also fined separately and the stolen money was confiscated.