Gary Busey sentenced to two years’ probation for sexual misconduct

Gary Busey has been sentenced to two years’ probation after pleading guilty to sexual misconduct. Photo / Getty Images

Gary Busey has been sentenced to two years’ probation after he admitted groping a woman at a New Jersey horror film convention.

The 81-year-old actor pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal sexual misconduct in July and he was handed his sentence during a virtual court appearance on Thursday.

According to the New York Times, Busey’s lawyer, Blair Zwillman, said afterwards: “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.”

The charge related to an incident at the Monster-Mania Con in August 2022. Busey was accused of groping several women who filed reports with the police and the He star was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree, one count of attempting criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree and one disorderly count of harassment.

As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, the other charges against Busey were dropped and he pleaded guilty to one charge of criminal sexual misconduct.

Busey now has 45 days to appeal the sentence and have his probation transferred from New Jersey to his home state of California.

The actor previously spoke out against the groping accusation and insisted it wasn’t true, telling TMZ in 2022: “None of that happened.

“There were a partner, a camera lady, and me and two girls. It took less than 10 seconds, and then they left. Then, they made up this story that I assaulted them sexually – but I did not.”

It is not the first time that the Oscar-nominated actor – who suffered permanent brain damage in a 1988 motorcycle accident – has fallen foul of the law. He previously faced drug charges in 1995 after being hospitalised following a near-fatal cocaine overdose.

He was also previously arrested on suspicion of spousal abuse and was also accused of sexual assault by a female employee when he took part in Celebrity Apprentice in 2011.

Busey’s son, Luke, previously recalled how the motorcycle accident completely changed his father’s personality after he underwent brain surgery to recover from his serious injuries.

He told The Hollywood Reporter: “At 17, I had to teach him with my mom to talk, to eat, to feed himself. To walk again. To write. That was very difficult for me at that age. The post-accident version of him turned his personality up to 11. I feel like I lost my dad on December 4, 1988.”