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The probe concluded in a 35-page report, forwarded to Doorley in March:

"Considerable evidence supports a finding that Lovely Warren, Albert Jones Jr., Rosalind Brooks ... and others engaged in a scheme to evade contribution limits."

Doorley stated:

"We are here to be transparent and upfront with the people of Monroe County. We are not here to conduct a trial in the media."

A spokesperson for the mayor, Jessica Alaimo, referred questions on the matter to Warren's lawyer, Joseph Damelio.

"Her position has not changed one bit and that is she's innocent and that she maintains that she did not intend to violate the law, she did not knowingly violate the law and she's anxious to get this process started and she's ready to go to trial."

The charges come at a precarious time for Warren, whose administration has been under siege for a month over its handling, and mishandling, of the death of Daniel Prude. Local activists have called for her resignation and national media have questioned her leadership.

Prude was suffocated by Rochester police during a mental health arrest in March and died a week later, although the matter was not publicly disclosed until a lawyer representing his family brought it to light in September. See also:

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The indictment of Warren, Brooks-Harris, and Jones did not detail what specific actions they allegedly took to lead prosecutors to believe they had committed crimes. But reportage over the years suggests the case hinges on transfers of funds between Warren's campaign committee and her political action committee. Assistant District Attorney Jacob Ark at one point said, "We are alleging that the entire political action committee itself was fraudulent."

Political action committees can give money to a candidate for office, but they cannot spend on behalf of a candidate's campaign. When a PAC gives money to a candidate, it is restricted to the same limits as any other donor. The donation limit in the 2017 mayoral election cycle was $8,557, but records show that Warren for a Strong Rochester had transferred $30,000 to Friends of Lovely Warren.

The laws prosecutors cited in bringing the charges against Warren were Section 14-126 of the state Election Law, which prohibits coordination between campaign committees and political action committees "for the purpose of evading contribution limitations," and Section 190.65 of the state Penal Law, which references a "systematic ongoing course of conduct with intent to defraud."

Rachel Barnhart, a current county legislator, on Friday called the charges the result of "a corrupt pay-to-play culture" in Rochester politics.

"This is very sad and will plunge our city into further crisis. We have to understand, however, why this is happening. Campaign finance laws exist to protect our elections and make sure there is transparency. The magnitude of these violations is nothing short of cheating."

Warren has signaled her intent to run for re-election next year, said he hoped the litigation could be expedited. "It is not political," she added. "I am simply doing my job."

On Thursday, actor Rick Moranis, 67, got an unfortunate taste of New York City's rising violence when a man punched him in the face in a shocking unprovoked sidewalk attack on the Upper West Side. Video released by NYPD shows the Honey, I Shrunk The Kids star walking southbound on Central Park West near West 70th Street at about 7.30 AM on Thursday.

Suddenly, an unidentified man wearing an "I Love NY" hoodie strikes Moranis in the head, knocking him to the ground. NYPD did not reveal the victim as Moranis in the public alert, but law enforcement confirmed his identity to the New York Post.

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