Gary Busey is praying that other women do not “come out of the woodwork” after he entered a guilty plea for criminal sexual misconduct, acknowledging that he intentionally sexually touched a woman at a horror film conference in New Jersey in 2022.
“It was not an accidental touching,” the 81-year-old Gary Busey, who was once nominated for an Oscar, told a judge during a virtual court appearance on Thursday.
In return for Gary Busey’s plea, prosecutors consented to dismiss three further counts of criminal sexual contact and one count of attempted criminal sexual contact. All charges originated from allegations that he grabbed five women while photographing them during the Monster-Mania conference at a DoubleTree Hilton hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, from August 12 to 14, 2022.
Authorities said that Gary Busey groped the buttocks of two women and positioned his face near the breasts of a third woman while attempting to unfasten her bra, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
CourtTV reported that Busey’s defence attorney, Blair Zwillman, first contended on Thursday that the charge against her client should be rejected due to a “deficient” investigation by the police and their failure to interrogate specific witnesses. However, Camden County, New Jersey, Prosecutor Keith Carmy asserted that no exculpatory evidence existed for Gary Busey and that significant witness testimony had been provided to the grand jury that indicted Gary Busey.
Judge Gwendolyn Blue, overseeing Gary Busey’s case, refused Zwillman. Following Gary Busey’s guilty plea, Blue provisionally scheduled a virtual sentencing hearing for him on September 18, as reported by CourtTV.
Gary Busey is allegedly subject to one to five years of probation, monetary penalties, and is required to provide a DNA sample to police.
He wore a hearing aid “as loud as it will go” during Thursday’s hearing, yet he evidently struggled to hear the proceeding.
Gary Busey is known widely as a character actor with more than 100 film and television credits, generally in supporting roles. Among his credits are Point Break, Under Siege, Rookie of the Year, Lethal Weapon and Predator 2.
He received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of the title character in the 1978 film The Buddy Holly Story.
The case to which Gary Busey entered a guilty plea on Thursday was not his initial encounter with the legal system. In 1995, he encountered narcotics charges following a nearly fatal cocaine overdose that necessitated hospitalisation.
Gary Busey has previously faced arrest on charges of marital abuse. During the 2011 season of Celebrity Apprentice, he faced allegations of sexually abusing a female employee associated with the show.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this website, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.