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Gary Busey has pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.
During a court hearing on Thursday, July 31, the actor admitted to inappropriately touching a woman on August 12, 2022, at a horror movie convention.
“It was not an accidental touching,” the actor told the judge, per Court TV.
Busey’s attorney Blair R. Zwillman told Us Weekly that the decision to plea was based on the fact that the actor lives in California and would have had to travel to New Jersey for a trial.
“He’s 81. Not in great health,” Zwillman explained to Us.
Busey’s attorney also confirmed to Us that the Buddy Holly Story actor pleaded guilty to one count and the other four counts were dismissed. The plea agreement states that the worst sentence can be probation.
Busey’s team is allowed to ask for no probation and only fines at sentencing, which will be held at a later date.
Back in August 2022, the actor was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact, one count of criminal attempt/criminal sexual contact and one count of harassment after he allegedly touched two fans inappropriately at the “Monster-Mania” convention in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
At the time, Busey denied the allegations to TMZ, saying “nothing happened” and he didn’t have “any regrets” about the way he acted at the convention.
“It was all false,” he said when asked whether the allegations were true. “I don’t care because there are no accusations.”
Cherry Hill Township Police Lieutenant Robert Scheunemann, however, told the Philadelphia Inquirer in August 2022 that authorities received “multiple complaints” about Busey’s conduct at the convention.
“It was about contact,” Scheunemann told the outlet. “It was about touching.”
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At the time, event organizers seemingly reacted to the allegations against Busey by sharing a social media post.
“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,” organizers wrote via Facebook in August 2022. “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.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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