Oscar-winner Sean Penn, 49, was charged with two transgressions with a photographer, last year. He could be sent to prison, if somehow, found guilty, Los Angeles prosecutors said on Friday. Last October, at an upscale shopping center in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles, he allegedly kicked a photographer in the leg and broke his camera.

The incident, trapped on video, was shown on celebrity news website TMZ. com.

Penn, who won Oscars for his roles in "Mystic River" and the 2008 movie "Milk", would face up to 18 months behind the bars.

He has been notorious with for problems with paparazzi. In 1987, he was in jail for more than 30 days for stabbing an extra on a film set. In 2006, he assaulted a paparazzo at his brother's funeral.

"We're alleging that in the scuffle a photographer's camera was damaged and he was battered", said City Attorney spokesman Frank Mateljan.