Timothy Busfield Faces Four Counts of Child Sexual Contact in New Mexico
A grand jury in New Mexico has indicted actor Timothy Busfield on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child, according to the Bernalillo County District Attorney's office. The indictment was announced on Friday, and the case is set to proceed to trial under the Special Victims Unit.
In January, an arrest warrant was issued for Busfield following a criminal complaint filed by an investigator from the Albuquerque Police Department. The complaint detailed allegations from a child who reported that Busfield had touched him inappropriately multiple times while on the set of "The Cleaning Lady" when he was just 7 and 8 years old. The child expressed fear of retaliation, stating he was scared Busfield would become angry if he reported the abuse.
Busfield's attorney, Stanton "Larry" Stein, commented on the indictment, asserting that it was anticipated and that Busfield intends to contest the charges vigorously. "What is deeply concerning is that the District Attorney is choosing to proceed on a case that is fundamentally unsound and cannot be proven at trial," Stein stated. He emphasized that the detention hearing revealed significant weaknesses in the state's evidence, suggesting that the prosecution may be motivated by factors beyond the facts or law.
The allegations against Busfield claim that the incidents occurred between November 2022 and spring 2024, with the abuse coming to light after the boy's mother sought medical advice from a lawyer. Additionally, the boy's twin brother reported similar inappropriate contact but did not provide specific details about his experience.
Warner Bros., the production company behind "The Cleaning Lady," conducted its own investigation into the allegations but found no corroborating evidence. In a police interview last fall, Busfield suggested that the boys' mother was seeking revenge for their replacement on the show, describing the set as a playful environment where he might have engaged in innocent interactions like tickling.
On January 13, Busfield surrendered to law enforcement and was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center in Bernalillo County on charges related to child sexual abuse. He publicly denied the allegations in a video shared with media outlets.
On the same day he turned himself in, another allegation surfaced involving a then-16-year-old girl. The girl's father claimed that Busfield had kissed and inappropriately touched her during an audition at a California theater he co-founded. According to court documents, Busfield allegedly requested that the family refrain from reporting the incident if he agreed to undergo therapy, which they initially accepted. This incident reportedly occurred several years prior.
Busfield's attorney reiterated that all charges against him are "completely false." Initially held without bond, he was released from jail pending trial in late January. The district attorney's office has not provided additional details regarding the charges.
Known for his roles in "The West Wing," "Field of Dreams," and "Thirtysomething," for which he won an Emmy Award in 1991, Busfield is married to actress Melissa Gilbert. Amidst these allegations, Gilbert has deactivated her Instagram account and has chosen not to make any public statements at the request of Busfield's legal team while the case unfolds.
