Kevin Spacey charged with assault

BOSTON - Kevin Spacey has been charged with groping the 18-year-old son of a Boston TV anchor in 2016, the first criminal case brought against the Oscar-winning actor since his career collapsed amid a string of sexual misconduct allegations over a year ago.

Spacey, 59, is due in court Jan. 7 on the resort island of Nantucket to be arraigned on a charge of indecent assault and battery, Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe said in a statement Monday. Spacey could get up to five years in prison if convicted.

A criminal complaint was issued by a clerk magistrate at a hearing Thursday, O’Keefe said.

Shortly after the charge became public, Spacey posted a video on YouTube titled “Let Me Be Frank,’’ breaking a public silence of more than a year.

In a monologue delivered in the voice of Frank Underwood, his character on Netflix’s “House of Cards’’ - who was killed off after the sexual misconduct allegations emerged - he said: “Of course some believed everything and have just been waiting with bated breath to hear me confess it all; they’re just dying to have me declare that everything they said is true and I got what I deserved. ... I’m certainly not going to pay the price for the thing I didn’t do.’’

He added, “Soon enough, you will know the full truth.’’ The three-minute video ended with a burst of cliffhanger music.

A spokeswoman for the actor did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

AP