Sheriff says he did not coordinate with DA before filing Cuomo complaint

Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple says he did not coordinate with the county’s district attorney before filing a criminal complaint against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D).

In a news conference on Friday, Apple said he “would have liked” to speak with Albany County District Attorney David Soares before the charge was filed Thursday.  

Apple also said he hadn’t had the chance to speak with Cuomo’s attorney before the complaint was filed. 

“It’s unfortunate that it came so fast, but again, criminal investigations don’t always go how you want,” Apple said.

Cuomo was charged on Thursday with a misdemeanor charge of forcible touching for allegedly grouping a woman under her shirt in December, when he was still governor. The charge was reportedly filed by mistake, and Soares had not yet decided whether he was going to prosecute.

Soares said in a statement Thursday that he was “surprised” to learn of the criminal complaint. His office has separately been carrying out a criminal investigation into Cuomo since August. 

Apple said Friday that Cuomo is due in court on Nov. 17 to be arraigned.

Cuomo resigned in August after an investigation from New York Attorney General Letitia James’s (D) office found that he harassed multiple women while in office, and sought to retaliate against one who spoke up. 

Apple said authorities reviewed hundreds, if not thousands of documents, executed several search warrants and interviewed “numerous witnesses.” The information was sent to the court for review, after which a criminal summons was issued.

While that process is normal in police work, Apple said this charge came back at a “relatively accelerated rate,” catching him by surprise. He added that the documents should not have been released after Cuomo was issued a summons, which he has not yet been issued.

“We weren’t expecting a five-minute turnaround,” Apple said. “We didn’t plan it. But it’s the hand we were dealt and we’re going to deal with it.”