What are the charges against Gary Busey? Details explored as actor pleads guilty to sexual offence at 2022 horror convention

On 31 July 2025, actor Gary Busey, now 81, pleaded guilty to a single count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact. The charge stems from his appearance at the Monster-Mania horror convention in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, in August 2022, where at least three women said he touched them without consent during photo-op sessions.

Gary Busey admitted in a virtual hearing that,

“It was not an accidental touching,”

Making clear he intended the contact. Busey’s plea deal dropped all other counts, including attempted sexual contact and harassment, in exchange for admitting guilt to just one charge.

His lawyer, Blair Zwillman, argued this single count was still too harsh and said,

“In my view Mr. Busey was ‘overcharged’ probably based on his star status”.

Beyond possible fines, the actor now faces up to five years of probation and must submit a DNA sample when he is sentenced on 18 September 2025.

Details of the incident at the Monster-Mania convention

During 13–14 August 2022, Gary Busey was a special guest at the DoubleTree Hotel’s Monster-Mania Con. Attendees paid for photo ops, and that’s when the trouble began. Three women later reported that Busey grabbed their buttocks over clothing and, in one case, tried to unhook a bra strap.

Event staff quickly removed him after learning of the complaints and urged those affected to contact law enforcement. At the time, no public statement named Busey, but convention organizers noted an unnamed celebrity guest was barred from returning. This swift action showed a clear stance against unwanted touching at fan events.

What charges were originally filed against Gary Busey?

When police first charged Gary Busey in August 2022, he faced four counts of criminal sexual contact, two for alleged groping, one for attempted contact, and one count of harassment. As the case moved forward, prosecutors said five women had come forward with similar stories.

Gary Busey’s defense team tried to dismiss the charges, pointing to claimed flaws in the grand jury process. They argued that much of the evidence, including delayed witness statements, did not meet legal standards. Yet the judge, Gwendolyn Blue, denied those motions, keeping the charges alive until the plea deal.

Plea agreement and courtroom exchange

On 31 July 2025, Gary Busey appeared by video in Camden County Superior Court. He entered a guilty plea to the single fourth-degree count, and prosecutors agreed to drop all others.

Judge Blue personally confirmed that Gary Busey understood the plea, even as he asked,

“Am I pleading guilty?”.

His lawyer, Blair Zwillman, told reporters the deal was

“The best outcome for my client,” noting that Busey “had to admit the act was non-consensual for the plea to be accepted”.

This clear admission, in contrast to his earlier denials, revealed a shift in strategy.

According to the law of New Jersey, a conviction for the fourth-degree criminal sexual contact is punishable by a maximum of five years of probation, fines, and DNA submission. The defense team of Busey will also ask that he be fined instead of going to probation, since it might be too much punishment to have an isolated occurrence of over-the-clothes sexual contact.

Busey will stay on release and will have no extra conditions until the sentencing hearing on September 18, 2025. In the meantime, two civil lawsuits brought forth by victims in 2024 are pending; those may issue a financial penalty independent of a criminal one. The verdict will demonstrate how the courts find a balance between fame and justice.

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