C.J. Spillman Charged with Sexual Assault: Latest Details and Reaction

Free-agent NFL safety C.J. Spillman, who was accused of attacking a woman in September, was formally charged with sexual assault Monday.  

According to Michael O'Keeffe of the New York Daily News, the former Dallas Cowboys defensive back was charged in relation to an alleged incident that occurred Sept. 20 at the Cowboys' team hotel in Grapevine, Texas.

While Spillman is now very much entrenched in a legal battle due to the charge against him, he was not disciplined by the NFL or the Cowboys last season.

The 29-year-old veteran appeared in all 16 games for Dallas, which has prompted the alleged victim's attorney, Gloria Allred, to lash out at the league, per O'Keeffe:

"

Their face-saving PR campaign which, in my opinion, was designed to make them appear to be sympathetic to victims of sexual assault or domestic violence is now revealed for what it really was, a sham and a slick PR trick, because their words do not match their deeds in this case. ... I am very happy that the criminal justice system will now try to move forward to prosecute Mr. Spillman, but it is shameful that the NFL has taken no meaningful action in the interim.

"

In the wake of the initial accusation, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett believed taking a wait-and-see approach was the right move, according to ESPN.com's Todd Archer:

"

I think you have to be careful with just accusations and allegations in this situation. When someone is officially charged or arrested for something, that's when it becomes a different situation in our minds. For now, he's a member of our football team and will take part in everything we do to this point.

"

Although the Cowboys did not take any steps to discipline Spillman, they decided against re-signing him this offseason, and he is currently without a team.

While it is unclear how much interest there would have been in the longtime backup and special teamer regardless of the circumstances surrounding him, the impending charges most likely hurt his case for landing a new contract.

Now that Spillman has officially been charged, one can only assume that his NFL career is on hold indefinitely as he and the league await a resolution.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.