Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced charges against DOMINIQUE STRAUSS-KAHN, 62, for the sexual assault of a maid at the Sofitel New York hotel on West 44th Street. The defendant is charged with two counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, one count of Attempted Rape in the First Degree, one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, one count of Unlawful Imprisonment in the Second Degree, one count of Forcible Touching, and one count of Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree. The top charge, Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, is a class B violent Felony, carrying with it a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Melissa C. Jackson remanded the defendant. The next court date is May 20, 2011.

According to the criminal complaint filed by the District Attorney, STRAUSS-KAHN shut the door his hotel room, thereby preventing the victim, a member of the hotel’s cleaning staff, from leaving. He grabbed the victim’s chest without consent, attempted to remove her pantyhose, and forcibly grabbed the victim’s vaginal area. His penis made contact with the victim’s mouth twice through the use of force.

Assistant District Attorney John (Artie) McConnell is handling the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Lisa Friel, Chief of the Sex Crimes Unit; Assistant District Attorney John Irwin, Deputy Chief of the Trial Division; and Chief Assistant District Attorney Daniel R. Alonso.

Defendant Information:

DOMINIQUE STRAUSS-KAHN, D.O.B. 4/24/1949

Charges:

• Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, a class B violent felony, two counts
• Attempted Rape in the First Degree, a class C violent felony, one count
• Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a class D violent felony, one count
• Unlawful Imprisonment in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, one count
• Forcible Touching, a class A misdemeanor, one count
• Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, a class B misdemeanor, one count

A class B violent felony is punishable by up to 25 years in prison, a class C violent felony is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a class D violent felony is punishable by up to 7 years in prison, a class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year in jail, and a class B misdemeanor is punishable by up to three months in jail.