(CNN) — Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. pleaded guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge of forcibly touching a woman at a New York City nightclub in 2018.
Gooding admitted to kissing the woman, a waitress at the club, on the lips without consent. He also admitted to two other incidents of non-consensual contact in October 2018 and June 2019.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Gooding will continue alcohol and behavior modification treatment for six months and have no new arrests. After that time, she can plead guilty to harassment again and potentially seal her case.
If he successfully follows the terms and re-pleads guilty to the lesser charge, Gooding could face a sentence of time served. If she doesn’t comply with the terms, she could face up to a year in jail.
“Cuba Gooding Jr. entered a new plea today for which in six months his case will be resolved with a violation, which is not a crime, which will result in no criminal record,” said Gooding’s attorney, Peter Toumbekis, in a statement to CNN.
The case against Gooding, plagued by delays, began in June 2019 when the actor was accused of forcible touching.
An additional charge was filed against him in October 2019.
He had previously pleaded not guilty to those charges.
Gooding’s attorneys at one point filed a motion to dismiss the case, but it was denied.
Gooding’s trial was scheduled to start in April 2020 but was delayed due to lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In August 2020, Manhattan prosecutors said that at least 30 women had come forward with accusations of unwanted touching by the Oscar-winning actor.
Assistant District Attorney Coleen Balbert said in court Wednesday that Gooding has been in therapy since September 2019 to address the behavior he engaged in and make sure he doesn’t reoffend.
