Veteran actor Gary Busey was sentenced to two years of probation Thursday after pleading guilty to criminal sexual contact charges stemming from an incident at a New Jersey horror film convention in 2022, according to court documents.
The 81-year-old actor, known for his Oscar-nominated portrayal of Buddy Holly in “The Buddy Holly Story” and roles in films like “Predator 2,” admitted to inappropriately touching a woman during the Monster-Mania Con event held at the Doubletree Hotel in Camden, New Jersey, in August 2022.
During a virtual court appearance in July, Busey pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, explicitly stating that “it was not an accidental touching.” The plea agreement led prosecutors to dismiss four additional charges against him, including three counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact and one count of attempted fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.
The charges originated from allegations made by several women who accused Busey of inappropriate conduct during photo opportunities at the annual fan convention. Two women specifically alleged that the actor groped their buttocks, with one claiming he attempted to unhook her bra during the encounter.
Initially, Busey vehemently denied the allegations when they first surfaced. In statements to TMZ, he insisted “nothing happened” at the convention and characterized his interaction with the women as lasting “less than 10 seconds.” He further claimed the women “made up a story” about the alleged sexual assaults.
Under the terms of his sentence, Busey must comply with several conditions beyond the two-year probationary period. The court has mandated that he provide a DNA sample and has issued a no-contact order preventing him from communicating with two of the victims in the case.
Blair Zwillman, Busey’s attorney, characterized the resolution as an opportunity for his client to move forward from what he described as an unfortunate chapter. “He is happy to move on from this circumstance in New Jersey, which has led to extremely negative press for over three years, to no fault of his own,” Zwillman told Page Six.
The defense attorney emphasized Busey’s current life stage, noting, “He’s retired; he treasures his life as an actor and wants to move forward.”
The case represents a significant legal challenge for Busey, whose career has spanned more than four decades since his breakthrough role as the rock and roll legend Buddy Holly earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in 1979. The actor has appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout his career, though his public profile in recent years has been marked by various personal and legal difficulties.
The sentencing brings to a close a legal proceeding that has extended over nearly three years, during which the allegations and subsequent charges have drawn considerable media attention to the veteran performer’s personal conduct at fan events.
This case adds to a broader pattern of accountability within the entertainment industry, where allegations of inappropriate behavior at fan conventions and industry events have led to increased scrutiny of celebrity conduct in these settings.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Actor Gary Busey received two years’ probation after pleading guilty to sexually touching a woman at a 2022 fan convention in New Jersey. Despite initially denying the allegations and claiming the women “made up a story,” Busey admitted in court that the contact “was not an accidental touching.”
The case underscores ongoing accountability issues in the entertainment industry, particularly regarding celebrity conduct at fan events where power dynamics can enable inappropriate behavior.
