Actor Gary Busey has been charged with multiple sexual offenses in connection with an incident at the annual Monster Mania Convention in New Jersey, police said.
Busey, 78, best known for playing the musician Buddy Holly in the 1978 film “The Buddy Holly Story,” was charged Friday with two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, one count of attempted criminal sexual contact and one count of harassment, according to a press release from Cherry Hill police.
The charges stem from offenses at the annual Monster Mania Convention at the Doubletree Hotel on Aug. 12-14 in Cherry Hill, a Philadelphia suburb, police said.
Monster Mania Convention released the following statement on the incident on social media:
“Monster-Mania is assisting authorities in their investigation into an alleged incident involving attendees and a celebrity guest at its convention in Cherry Hill, New Jersey last weekend. Immediately upon receiving a complaint from the attendees, the celebrity guest was removed from the convention and instructed not to return. Monster-Mania also encouraged the attendees to contact the police to file a report.The safety and well-being of all our attendees is of the utmost importance to Monster-Mania, and the company will not tolerate any behavior that could compromise those values. Monster-Mania will continue to assist the authorities in any and every way possible.”
Busey, who lives in Malibu, California, was scheduled as a featured guest for all three days of the event.
Police did not immediately respond to a message seeking details. It also wasn’t clear whether Busey has an attorney to comment on the charges, and a representative didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment Saturday.