Jussie Smollett is expected to surrender to authorities and be arrested after prosecutors charged the “Empire” actor on one felony count of filing a false police report/disorderly conduct, the Chicago Police Dept. said Wednesday evening.
“Felony criminal charges have been approved” by the Cook County State Attorney’s office against Smollett,” a Chicago PD spokesperson said.
“Detectives will make contact with his legal team to negotiate a reasonable surrender for his arrest.”
Earlier Wednesday evening the Chicago Police Dept. announced Smollett was “a suspect” in the alleged hate crime attack he reported. Smollett as recently as last week insisted he had been attacked by two men who tied a noose around his neck and poured bleach on him while shouting racist, homophobic, and “MAGA” slurs.
“Smollett could face one to three years in prison if convicted of the felony charge, though he could also be sentenced to probation,” Variety adds.
UPDATE: 10:04 PM ET –
The New York Times reports Smollett “was charged by prosecutors for staging his own assault; he was not indicted by a grand jury.” This report has been updated to reflect that account.
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