As the sexual assault allegations against Bill Cosby continue to pile up, one of the most frustrating aspects of the whole sad affair has been the impossibility of prosecuting the cases in criminal court. The statute of limitations on most of the cases has long since passed, leading to a series of suits and countersuits as the accusers are left to seek retribution in civil court. Emphasis on the “most,” as NPR reports that prosecutors in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania—a suburban township outside of Philadelphia—have formally filed felony sexual assault charges against Cosby.
Specifically, they’ve charged him with aggravated indecent assault, a first-degree felony that, according to Time, could land him in jail for up to 10 years if he’s convicted. The charges stem from allegations made by a former Temple University employee who says that, after she rejected his sexual advances, Cosby drugged and then raped her, the same fucked-up story that has been told by more than 50 women at this point. The alleged assault took place in January of 2004, meaning that, according to Pennsylvania’s 12-year statute of limitations on felony sex crimes, these charges were barely filed in time for the January 2016 deadline. Cosby is expected to appear in court today.
UPDATE, 2:00 PM CT: Not only has Cosby appeared in court, according to Variety, he’s been booked, and bail has been set at $1 million. He’ll reportedly be released this afternoon, having arranged his bail earlier in the day.