Bill Cosby Has Been Charged With Sexual Assault

An arrest warrant has been issued for Bill Cosby, the AP reports.

On Wednesday, prosecutors in Pennsylvania announced Bill Cosby will be charged over an encounter with a woman in 2004.

The incident involved former Temple University employee Andrea Constand, who accused Cosby of drugging and sexually assaulting her at his Elkins Park, Pennsylvania mansion, PEOPLE reports.

Dolores Troiani, Constand's attorney, tells PEOPLE,

Obviously we appreciate the expression of confidence in her. We'll have to see what happens. We hope justice will be done. We will cooperate fully.

A previous district attorney declined to charge Cosby over the alleged assault, however, prosecutors decided to reopen the case after testimony was unsealed in a related civil lawsuit against Cosby, the AP reports.

Over the past few years, 50 women have come forward accusing the 78-year-old comedian of drugging and sexually assaulting them. Cosby denied every allegation against him and even filed defamation lawsuits against several of the women.

The statute of limitations to charge Cosby for nearly all 50 cases has run out. The statute of limitations to charge Cosby over the alleged crime committed against Constand will run out in January 2016.

Citations: Arrest Warrant Issued for Bill Cosby for Alleged January 2004 Sexual Assault of Andrea Constand (PEOPLE)