Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect Gabriel Weiss's acquittal on similar charges in June 2025 and to clarify that this represents one of multiple separate trials.
A Multnomah County jury convened Tuesday as the rape trial of Gabriel Weiss got underway, putting a 2018 Southeast Portland studio session under a harsh spotlight. Weiss, a Portland resident, was accused of luring a 19-year-old woman to his studio for what she thought was a paid modeling job, then sexually assaulting her. This trial represents one of four separate cases Weiss faces, following his acquittal on first-degree rape and sodomy charges in June 2025.
Prosecutors allege that once inside the Southeast Portland studio in August 2018, Weiss, who has used the name “Kawiri” online, bound, gagged and blindfolded the woman, painted her for more than an hour, then strangled and sexually assaulted her. He remains in jail while the case moves forward.
According to court documents, the alleged assault occurred on August 17, 2018, in the Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood. The investigation was initially opened, then revisited in 2021 after the woman chose to press charges. Court filings indicate that when the victim’s sexual-assault kit was tested at the Oregon State Police crime lab, the DNA results matched Weiss. Jury selection and opening proceedings were scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Allegations And Evidence
Local reporting and police records state that prosecutors believe Weiss used the promise of a paid modeling opportunity to lure the 19-year-old to his home studio, where the assault is alleged to have taken place. Coverage by KPTV and other outlets notes that Weiss operated under online pseudonyms including Kawiri Cascabel and Gabe Kawiri, and that he previously ran Bamboo Grove Salon, an event space in Southeast Portland.
Police say the original investigation stalled for several years before the woman asked that the case be reopened. Once the sexual-assault kit was processed, a DNA hit triggered renewed attention and led to formal charges. Law&Crime reviewed prior reporting and court filings that describe those investigative steps.
Charges And Court Schedule
Weiss is charged with first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy and first-degree sexual abuse in this case. Court documents indicate this is the first of several cases connected to alleged incidents dating from 2011 through 2018. The court has set up a multistage calendar that will move each allegation through separate trials rather than folding them into a single proceeding.
Legal Context
The charges Weiss faces rank among Oregon’s most serious sexual-offense crimes and can carry prison terms that stretch for decades under state law. Oregon statutes and Measure 11 sentencing rules classify first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy as high-level felonies, with strict mandatory sentencing guidelines laid out in ORS chapter 163.
Investigators Urge Other Possible Victims To Come Forward
The Portland Police Bureau reports that Weiss was arrested on March 3, 2023, and remains in custody. Investigators have asked anyone who may have had contact with him, whether through modeling offers, events at the salon or other settings, to reach out to detectives.
In a news release, the Portland Police Bureau shared a photo of Weiss and provided contact information for Detective Nathan Wollstein, encouraging tips from the public, including anonymous submissions.
The trial is expected to continue in Multnomah County in the coming days as jurors hear testimony and examine physical and forensic evidence tied to the 2018 allegation. Any additional trial dates for other alleged incidents will be set from the bench as prosecutors and the defense map out their calendars.
