Actor Gary Busey pleads guilty to groping a woman at 2022 Cherry Hill movie convention

About three years after Gary Busey was initially accused of groping five women at a Cherry Hill movie convention — and five months after entering a not guilty plea — the actor has pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.

“It was not an accidental touching,” Busey, 81, told a judge on Thursday during a Zoom hearing.

The news marks the end of a yearslong legal saga for Busey, an Oscar-nominated actor.

Here’s what we know.

Busey is a career actor who has appeared in more than 100 films, including Barbarosa and Point Break.

His career took off in the mid-1970s for his role as Bobby Ritchie in the 1976 Barbra Streisand remake of A Star is Born. In 1979 he was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story.

In more recent years, Busey appeared in Vitamin Water ads and competed on reality shows including Celebrity Apprentice, Celebrity Big Brother, and Dancing with the Stars.

He currently lives in Malibu, Calif., according to court records. He is known for his often bizarre behavior that some have linked to a serious motorcycle accident in 1988 in which he suffered head injuries. Busey was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

When Busey appeared at the Monster-Mania convention at a DoubleTree Hilton hotel in Cherry Hill almost three years ago, multiple women claimed he inappropriately touched them.

Court documents say five women accused Busey of groping them while taking pictures together, grabbing two women’s buttocks, and putting his face near a third woman’s breasts while trying to unlatch her bra.

In a grand jury indictment filed last month, Busey was accused of groping two additional women: one who said he touched her buttocks and another who said he touched her genitals.

Busey initially denied that he groped anyone, but later asked detectives to convey his apologies to the women and to try to persuade them not to pursue criminal charges, according to the affidavits of probable cause for his arrest. He also told detectives it was possible to touch someone by accident, the affidavit said.

Monster-Mania officials said in a statement at the time that Busey had been removed from the convention and told not to return after management received complaints about his behavior. The company said it had encouraged the people who complained to file a police report.

In March of this year, Busey’s attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf during an arraignment held virtually.

Busey faced two counts of charges of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, one count of attempted criminal sexual contact, and one count of harassment.

“He totally denies anything illegal,” his attorney said at the time, attempting to get the indictment dismissed. Busey’s attorney said police failed to question certain witnesses. But a judge denied that motion and confirmed that witness testimony was collected and presented to the grand jury.

On Thursday, in exchange for Busey’s guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to dismiss three counts of criminal sexual contact and one count of attempted criminal sexual contact.

This left Busey with one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.

“It was not an accidental touching,” Busey told the judge during a Zoom hearing published by CourtTV.

Yes. In 1995, Busey was arrested on drug charges after he took a near-fatal overdose of cocaine at his Malibu home. He has also been arrested twice on charges of spousal abuse.

During the 2011 season of Celebrity Apprentice, he was accused of sexually assaulting a female show employee.

In 2012, he filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, with reported liabilities of $500,000 to $1 million.

As part of the plea agreement, Busey faces between one and five years of probation and fines. He will have a criminal record and will be required to submit a DNA sample.

His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 18.

Staff writer Rodrigo Torrejón contributed to this article.