Gary Busey had been removed from Monster-Mania Convention with criminal charges subsequently filed against the actor.

A statement has been issued following reports of criminal charges getting leveled against actor Gary Busey. Reportedly, New Jersey police have charged Busey with multiple counts of criminal sexual contact along with separate counts of attempted criminal sexual contact and harassment. Allegedly, the incidents took place at the Monster-Mania horror convention in Cherry Hill on the weekend of Aug. 12-14. Busey had been present as a celebrity guest to offer autographs and photos with fans.

Specific details on the allegations against Busey are unclear, but a statement posted to Monster-Mania’s Facebook page notes that the Gingerdead Man star had been removed from the convention after a complaint was brought to the promoter’s attention. It’s also noted that Busey has been banned from all future Monster-Mania events. The statement also indicates that those who complained were encouraged to call authorities and that Monster-Mania staffers are cooperating with the criminal investigation.

“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.”

Per the Philadelphia Inquirer, Cherry Hill Township Police Lt. Robert Scheunemann said that the complaints involved “contact” and “touching,” but didn’t elaborate. Busey has not yet publicly responded to the allegations.

Related: Gary Busey Faces Charges of Criminal Sexual Misconduct and Harassment

Gary Busey’s Horror Work Made Him a Regular Guest at Conventions

Gary Busey has appeared in dozens of roles going back decades. One of his most celebrated roles is as the late rock legend Buddy Holly in 1978’s The Buddy Holly Story, a performance that put him up for the Best Actor Oscar. He has gone on to appear in a variety of films, such as Lethal Weapon, The Firm, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. His horror film work, from Silver Bullet to Piranha 3DD, had gotten him a lot of attention with genre fans as a regular guest at horror conventions.


In 2020, Busey had also sought to make a name for himself as the star of a new courtroom comedy show. The miniseries featured Busey presiding over court cases involving pets and was dubbed Gary Busey: Pet Judge. Busey would later appear as the father of William H. Macy’s character in an episode of Shameless in 2021.