Cosby is expected to be arraigned later this afternoon in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania.
"A prosecutor's job is to follow the evidence wherever it leads and whenever it comes to light," Steele said. "Upon examination of all the evidence, today we are able to seek justice on behalf of the victim."
Steele said that Constand "came to consider Mr. Cosby her mentor and her friend."
He said that Cosby "made two sexual advances at her that were rejected." He added, "Mr. Cosby urged her to take pills and to drink wine, the effect of which left her unable to [rebuff his advances]."
Prosecutor say the the release of a deposition last summer from a 2005 civil suit filed by Constand, in which Cosby admitted to giving quaaludes to women he wanted to have sex with, caused the District Attorney's office to reopen the case.
Constand was not available for comment but one of her attorneys expressed gratitude toward the prosecutor. "Obviously we appreciate the expression of confidence in her," says Dolores Troiani of her client, Constand, 42, who is now a massage therapist in Ontario, Canada. "We'll have to see what happens. We hope justice will be done. We will cooperate fully."
Cosby has previously said what happened between him and Constand was consensual, but in new court filings last summer Constand said she was in a relationship with a woman at the time. She also called Cosby a "narcissist" who missed cues that she's gay.
The statute of limitations to charge Cosby runs out in January. Troiani exclusively told PEOPLE in September that if prosecutors decided to arrest Cosby for the alleged assault, Constand would fully cooperate. "I think she's a very strong lady," Troiani said. "She'll do whatever she needs to do, whatever they ask of her."
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