(NewsNation) — Gary Busey, 81, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact for groping a woman at a fan convention in New Jersey in 2022, according to The Guardian.
During a virtual court appearance, Busey admitted he touched the woman intentionally.
“It was not an accidental touching,” Busey told the judge.
Busey was charged in 2022 on two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, one count of attempted criminal sexual contact and one count of harassment over the incident that happened at that year’s Monster Mania Convention.
According to The Guardian, prosecutors agreed to drop the three other charges in exchange for a plea.
The actor’s criminal defense attorney, Blair Zwillman, told People magazine in a statement, “There has to be a factual basis where he admits the offense. He had to admit that it was nonconsensual.”
“He’s glad to put this behind him. He is basically a family guy. He is not a criminal,” he continued.
According to People magazine, three other women reported that the actor touched them inappropriately at a meet-and-greet at the fan convention.