Disgraced ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to be arrested next week and charged with a misdemeanor in the alleged groping of a former aide, The Post has learned.
The anticipated charge is the result of a probe by Albany County District Attorney David Soares, a source briefed in the matter said Thursday.
A spokesman for the state Office of Court Administration confirmed that a misdemeanor complaint against Cuomo “has been filed in Albany City Court.”
“As this is a sex crime, a redacted complaint will be available shortly,” spokesman Lucian Chalfen added.
Cuomo has been charged with forcible touching, according to the independent New York Focus website, which cited information from an unidentified court clerk.
If convicted of forcible touching, Cuomo would have to register as a sex offender and a judge would decide on his likely risk of committing another sex crime.
If he were deemed to pose a moderate or high risk to the community, his photograph, name, address and other information would be posted online.
Soares opened a criminal investigation of Cuomo, 63, on Aug. 3, shortly after state Attorney General Letitia James detailed the alleged groping incident in a report that accused the then-governor of sexually harassing 11 women, including nine current or former state workers.
Six days later, Brittany Commisso, an administrative assistant in the governor’s office, went public in a tearful interview on “CBS This Morning” during which she said Cuomo “put his hand up my blouse and cupped my breast over my bra” inside Albany’s Executive Mansion in November.
“The governor needs to be held accountable,” Commisso, 33, said.
“What he did to me was a crime. He broke the law.”
Cuomo — who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing — announced his resignation the next day, saying that “my instinct is to fight” but “the best way I can help now is if I step aside.”
Cuomo’s looming arrest is believed to be the reason that James decided to tell a key union leader on Wednesday that she’ll launch a campaign for governor “shortly,” the source briefed on the matter said.
James is expected to announce her primary challenge of Gov. Kathy Hochul ahead of Cuomo’s arrest, the source briefed on the matter said.
On Aug. 30, Commisso spent “several hours” being interviewed by investigators after law-enforcement officials issued several subpoenas related to her allegations, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple has said.
The alleged groping of Commisso is the most serious incident detailed in James’ report, which also accused Cuomo of grabbing women’s butts and running his hand across the belly of a female state trooper assigned to his protective detail.
New York’s Penal Law makes it illegal to forcibly touch a person’s “intimate parts” to gratify “sexual desire” or to degrade or abuse the victim.
The crime of “forcible touching” is a misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of one year in jail.In addition to Soares, four other New York district attorneys — in Manhattan, as well as Nassau, Westchester and Oswego counties — have said they’re investigating various allegations contained in James’ report.