By Mark Crudele - Aug 24, 2018 - ABC News' Morgan Winsor contributed to this report.

Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Tom Frieden turned himself in to authorities in New York City on Friday to face charges that he groped a woman he knew last year, according to law enforcement officials.

Frieden, who was also the New York City Health Commissioner, allegedly grabbed the woman's butt during a gathering at his Brooklyn apartment last October.

The unidentified 55-year-old woman reported the incident in early July, and Frieden surrendered to authorities at the New York Police Department Friday morning, law enforcement officials told ABC News.

Frieden, who was charged with forcible touching, sex abuse and harassment, was scheduled to appear in court in Brooklyn for his arraignment Friday afternoon.

“This allegation does not reflect Dr. Frieden’s public or private behavior, or his values over a lifetime of service to improve the health around the world,” a spokesperson for Frieden told ABC News on Friday.

Frieden is currently the president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, a $225 million global health initiative that aims to prevent 100 million deaths from cardiovascular disease and to prevent epidemics.

Jose Castro, the president and CEO of Vital Strategies, the New York-based nonprofit that houses the Resolve to Save Lives initiative, released a statement in support of Frieden, saying he has the “highest ethical standards personally and professionally” and there have been “no incidents of workplace harassment.” Castro continued “Vital Strategies greatly values the work Dr. Frieden does to advance public health and he has my full confidence.”¹⁾

ABC News By Christina Carrega - Jun 4, 2019

Former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tom Frieden avoided jail time on Tuesday after pleading guilty to groping a longtime family friend in New York.

Frieden, who is also the former New York City health comissioner, turned himself in to police in August 2018 after the woman reported that he had grabbed her butt without her permission inside his Brooklyn apartment, court documents said.

Frieden admitted details of the October 2017 incident to Brooklyn Criminal Court Judge Edwin Novillo. Frieden was facing up to a year in jail for misdemeanor forcible touching, third-degree sexual abuse and second-degree harassment charges, prosecutors said.

A representative for Frieden declined to comment on the case. Frieden's defense attorney, Laura Brevetti, also declined to comment outside of court.²⁾

(MORE: Former CDC director Tom Frieden accused of groping woman in New York, officials say)