Photo: AP / Steven Hirsch of the New York Post
Harvey Weinstein turned himself into New York Police on Friday morning and was arrested then arraigned on charges of first- and third-degree rape and committing a criminal sexual act in the first degree, according to CNN.
The Manhattan District Attorney's office said the charges stem from two women coming forward about incidents in 2004 and 2013.
The charges resulted from a joint investigation between police and the Manhattan District Attorney's office.
Weinstein's attorney Benjamin Brafman said his client intends to plead not guilty to all of the charges.
Brafman brokered a deal with the DA's office so that Weinstein's bond was set at $10 million but he will be required to wear a GPS monitoring device and is only allowed to travel within New York or Connecticut.
More charges are expected as a grand jury continues to hear testimony from the state's case, with one source saying at least four women are expected to testify.
The former Hollywood producer walked into a New York police precinct office, surrounded by reporters and photographers.
Weinstein was processed and then left the precinct in handcuffs before he was put into a large black SUV.
These are the first charges brought against Weinstein after dozens of women came forward, including several major actresses, to accuse him of sexual misconduct in the New Yorker and the New York Times.
Weinstein is also under investigation for alleged sex crimes in London and Los Angeles, California.
Federal prosecutors in New York have also started a sex crimes investigation involving Weinstein, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Many of his accusers welcomed the news of his arrest.
"I, and so many of Harvey Weinstein's survivors, had given up hope that our rapist would be held accountable by law. Twenty years ago, I swore that I would right this wrong. Today we are one step closer to justice," said actress Rose McGowan, one of the first women to publicly accuse Weinstein of assault.
"We were young women who were assaulted by Weinstein and later terrorized by his vast network of complicity. I stand with my fellow survivors. May this give hope to all victims and survivors everywhere that are telling their truths," she said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
Weinstein was accused of rape, sexual assault, and several other forms of sexual misconduct.
Weinstein allegedly sought treatment for sex addiction after the accusations and said the claims of nonconsensual sex were "unequivocally denied."
Two of the women who accused him, Asia Argento and Ashley Judd, tweeted an article about Weinstein turning himself in.
Many women said Weinstein threatened to derail their careers if they went public with their experiences.
New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor tweeted out several of the alleged threats: “One phone call and you’re done.” “I have eyes and ears everywhere.” “I’m Harvey Weinstein, you know what I can do.” Not anymore."
Investigative journalist Ronan Farrow, who wrote the New Yorker's report on Weinstein, said that many of the accusers never thought they'd see the day when Weinstein would face retribution for his actions.
"Not in a million years, and one of the hardest conversations I had over and over again with these brave women was that in addition to the sacrifice they were making in telling this story, they didn't think they would ever be heard if they did take that leap, let alone to see actual accountability," Farrow said to CNN.
Weinstein has kept a low-profile since the reports came out and he was fired from the company that also bears his name after the allegations first surfaced.
The Weinstein Company filed for bankruptcy earlier in 2018.
-WN.com, Maureen Foody
