Detective Clemente Braun told Fox News that Lochte will be expected to appear in a Brazil courtroom to face the allegations and offer a plea, otherwise he will be charged in absentia.
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He is accused of filing a false police report over the vandalism incident at a Rio gas station.
Lochte returned to the US on August 17, the same day a judge ordered the four swimmers to remain in the country.
An investigation by Rio police found that the four athletes were drunk, vandalized a gas station and were detained by armed security until they paid for the damage they’d caused.
Lochte later apologised, saying he had “exaggerated” the incident.
Lochte gained a new sponsor on Thursday – Pine Bros Softish Throat Drops.
Lochte will be informed of the charges in the US and the indictment will be sent to the International Olympic Committee’s Ethics Division.
Lochte’s spokeswoman told the Associated Press on Thursday that the swimmer had no comment.
Lochte won one gold medal at the Rio Olympics.
Lochte has subsequently faced backlash for making the false claims, and was dropped by several sponsors, including Speedo and Ralph Lauren.
Meanwhile, Lochte’s attorney Jeffrey Ostrow said his client has not yet received any official information about the charge from Rio police.
Over the last week, Lochte’s world has seemingly crumbled at his feet after it was revealed that he had lied to authorities about being robbed at gunpoint alongside his USA swimming teammates Jimmy Feigen, Gunnar Bentz, and Jack Conger in Rio.
Days later, as scrutiny on Lochte’s story increased, police questioned Feigen again.
Authorities had pulled Conger and Bentz off a plane about to leave Brazil for questioning related to the story but were later released after the pair retracted those claims. He has 12 Olympic medals, second only to Michael Phelps among US male Olympians.
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Pine Bros. says Lochte should be forgiven.
