Los Angeles - R&B singer Chris Brown, 19, is set to face assault charges in the wake of his fight with his girlfriend, pop star Rihanna, 21.

Los Angeles public prosecutors on Thursday also charged Brown with criminal threats, the showbusiness website tmz. com reported. He was set to appear beforte the judge later Thursday.

If found guilty, the young artist could face several years in prison.

As a result of the fight before the Grammy Awards in early February, Rihanna was injured in the face. A police photo that was made public recently showed the beautiful Caribbean woman with a very swollen face, cuts to her cheeks and bloody lips.

Brown was initially arrested but he was later released on a 50,000-dollar bail.

Some three weeks after the highly-publicized fight, Rihanna and Brown were again seen together. According to US media reports, the singer apologized to his girlfriend.

Following the incident, Rihanna - the singer of hits like Umbrella and Disturbia - has cancelled some shows and withdrawn from the public light. She stayed at her home in her native Barbados, and also in Mexico and in Los Angeles. (dpa)