Gary Busey is an actor that has created some fantastic characters on screen, but had plenty of controversial moments away from the camera. In 2022, Busey was accused of sexual assault by women at the annual Monster-Mania fan event. Despite denying the claims at the time, Busey has now pleaded guilty to one of the charges against him, although he still denies other accusations.
Back in 2022, Busey appeared at the convention, which took place at a hotel in Cherry Hill, Philadelphia. Shortly after the event, Monster-Mania’s Facebook page shared a statement regarding disturbing details that had been brought to the attention of promoters. That statement did not go into details, but said:
“Monster-Mania is assisting authorities in their investigation into an alleged incident involving attendees and a celebrity guest at its convention in Cherry Hill, New Jersey last weekend. Immediately upon receiving a complaint from the attendees, the celebrity guest was removed from the convention and instructed not to return. Monster-Mania also encouraged the attendees to contact the police to file a report. The safety and well-being of all our attendees is of the utmost importance to Monster-Mania, and the company will not tolerate any behavior that could compromise those values. Monster-Mania will continue to assist the authorities in any and every way possible.”
A week after the convention, Busey was charged with two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, one count of fourth-degree attempted criminal sexual contact and one count of harassment. According to Busey’s lawyer, the actor has pleaded guilty to one of these counts, admitting that he inappropriately touched one woman during the event.
Will Gary Busey Face Jail for the Assault Charges?
According to details from Blair Zwillman, Busey’s lawyer, the charge that the actor has pleaded guilty to is one that claims he “touched the buttocks of a female over the clothing.” Zwillman’s statement (as per NYT), said that Busey was “personally glad to put this behind him and move on,” noting that “the actual factual allegations more mirrored what is considered a disorderly persons offense in New Jersey.”
The maximum sentence for the offense is five years probation and a $500 fine, which means that Busey does not face jail time for the incident. However, after pleading guilty, he is expected to ask that he only pay the $500 fine and not have a probation period given to him. Zwillman continued:
“He is an out-of-state resident, he is elderly, he has got some difficulties, physical and otherwise. He is not coming back to New Jersey too soon.”
Busey has had a colorful career filled with some incredible highs and lows. From earning an Oscar nomination for playing Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story, to action blockbusters like Lethal Weapon, Busey became an iconic actor in the 1980s, but struggles with substance abuse, and a brain injury he sustained in a 1988 motorcycle accident led to the actor often being portrayed as erratic as unpredictable in the press. His recent work has mostly included some voice roles in video games, including the Hitman series, and a small role in the 2024 movie Holy Cash.
Source: NYT
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