Tom Frieden, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was arrested Friday in New York on charges of third-degree sexual abuse, harassment in the second degree, and forcible touching, reports The Washington Post.
According to law enforcement, Frieden turned himself in to authorities on Friday morning in Brooklyn, was arraigned on Friday afternoon, and released without bail. He is accused of grabbing a woman's buttocks without her consent at about 11 pm on Oct. 20, 2017. The incident, which was reported to authorities in July, took place in an apartment building in Brooklyn, WaPo reports.
According to a complaint filed in criminal court, Frieden is accused of "forcibly" touching a woman and subjecting her to unwanted sexual contact. The woman, who has not been publicly identified, has accused Frieden of putting his hand on her behind and squeezing it without her consent, which "caused [her] to become alarmed and annoyed," the complaint says.
Brooklyn Criminal Court Judge Michael Yavinsky issued an order forbidding Frieden from contacting his accuser, WaPo says. Frieden, who waived a reading of the charges against him, was ordered to surrender his passport and is due back in court on Oct. 11. On Friday, Frieden's spokeswoman said the accusation "does not reflect Dr. Frieden's public or private behavior or his values over a lifetime of service to improve health around the world."