Gary Busey sentenced to two years probation over sex crime conviction
Actor Gary Busey has been sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to a fourth-degree criminal sexual contact charge relating to an incident at a fan convention.
The attack occurred more than three years ago on August 13th, 2022, at the Monster Mania convention at the Doubletree Hotel in the New Jersey suburb of Cherry Hill. Busey was charged shortly after the horror movie fan event.
Busey entered his guilty plea over Zoom during a virtual court appearance before Judge Gwendolyn Blue on July 31st.
Following his sentencing, Busey’s lawyer said, per The New York Times, on September 20th, “Mr. Busey is pleased that the case has been resolved and that he can go on with his life without any continuing, daily public adversity.”
In the hearing, which was held almost two months ago, Busey admitted to the judge, “It was not an accidental touching.”
Prosecutors dismissed three additional counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact and one count of attempted fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, which also stemmed from the Monster Mania convention, due to Busey pleading guilty. The maximum sentence he could have received was five years on probation and a $500 fine.
During the court hearing, prosecutors said that Busey groped two women’s buttocks and attempted to unhook another woman’s bra at the convention in 2022.
He initially pleaded not guilty at an arraignment earlier this year, before pleading guilty in July. Busey also publically claimed the allegations were false in 2022, telling TMZ that his behaviour was “not inappropriate at all”.
Busey added: “None of that happened. Nothing happened. Nothing. It was all false.”
According to People, Busey also faces a civil suit from two women in New York relating to Monster Mania.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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