Theo Fleury told The Post this afternoon that he will indeed file criminal charges against Graham James, the junior hockey coach who the one-time Ranger alleges sexually abused him as a teenager.

“That decision has been made,” Fleury said during a conversation at a Midtown restaurant. “I’ve hired Hersh Wolch, who might be the best criminal attorney in North America, and he’s going through the process of doing the necessary preparation.”

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Fleury is in New York promoting his autobiography, “Playing With Fire,” in which he charges that the abuse from James began when he was a 14-year-old in Winnipeg and continued once or twice a week for years. The book marks the first public acknowledgment from Theory that he was a victim of abuse.

“That made me who I was,” said Fleury, who is a recovering addict following a lifetime of alcohol, drug and gambling issues. “You saw the anger on the ice. It was uncontrollable. I cringe when I see it.

“Never in my life did I want to be like that but that’s the person that the abuse turned me into; an alcoholic, doing drugs and completely out of control.”

Fleury remained silent when junior teammate Sheldon Kennedy made similar allegations against James in 1997. James was later convicted of molesting two teenage players on the WHL Swift Current Broncos and served 42 months in prison.

“I was not psychologically prepared to come forward then, I was not strong enough,” said Fleury, sober since Sept. 18, 2005. “But I am now, and I will do whatever it takes, no matter what the repercussions might be.

“I will follow my attorney’s instructions as we go forward, but I am prepared to testify in court under oath if that becomes necessary. I will do whatever it takes.

“What if there’s another kid out there?”