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Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. pleads guilty to forcible touching

Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. appears in court, Jan. 22, 2020, in New York. Gooding Jr. pleaded guilty Wednesday, April 13, 2022 to one count of forcible touching in a protracted criminal case accusing the Oscar-winning star of violating three different women at various Manhattan night spots in 2018 and 2019. (Alec Tabak/The Daily News via AP, Pool)
Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. appears in court, Jan. 22, 2020, in New York. Gooding Jr. pleaded guilty Wednesday, April 13, 2022 to one count of forcible touching in a protracted criminal case accusing the Oscar-winning star of violating three different women at various Manhattan night spots in 2018 and 2019. (Alec Tabak/The Daily News via AP, Pool) Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. appears in court, Jan. 22, 2020, in New York. Gooding Jr. pleaded guilty Wednesday, April 13, 2022 to one count of forcible touching in a protracted criminal case accusing the Oscar-winning star of violating three different women at various Manhattan night spots in 2018 and 2019. (Alec Tabak/The Daily News via AP, Pool)

NEW YORK (AP) – Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. pleaded guilty Wednesday to forcibly touching a woman at a New York nightclub in 2018.

The guilty plea came nearly three years after the the Oscar-winning “Jerry Maguire” star was arrested in the case that saw several delays as his lawyers sought to get charges reduced or dismissed.

Gooding, 54, accused of violating three different women at various Manhattan night spots in 2018 and 2019, pleaded guilty to just one of the allegations.

He told the judge he “kissed the waitress on her lips” without consent at the LAVO New York nightclub.

Gooding’s plea deal calls for no jail time. If he continues counseling for six months, he can withdraw the misdemeanor plea and plead guilty to a lesser violation of harassment.