Weinstein to turn himself in to face sex crime charges: report

Disgraced former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein is set to turn himself in to New York police on Friday to face charges of sex crimes, according to a Thursday report in The New York Daily News. 

Weinstein, who faces allegations of sexual assault and rape, will reportedly surrender himself in connection to an investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office and New York Police Department over claims from at least one of his multiple accusers, Lucia Evans.{mosads}

Evans says that he forced her to perform oral sex on him in 2004.

Since at least January, federal prosecutors in New York’s Southern District have been probing allegations of sex abuse against Weinstein. If he got women to cross state lines for the purpose of committing a sex crime, officials say, it could be a federal offense.

Weinstein’s lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, told The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that he has been meeting with federal prosecutors to try to “dissuade them from proceeding.”

“Mr. Weinstein has always maintained that he has never engaged in nonconsensual sexual acts,” Brafman said.

Another five cases of sexual assault and misconduct are currently under review by the The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office. 

Approximately 80 women, including multiple well-known actresses, have accused the former Weinstein Company chief of sexual misconduct.