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Timothy Busfield: Timeline of Criminal Case Involving Alleged Sexual Abuse of Minors

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Actor Timothy Busfield Indicted on Multiple Charges of Criminal Sexual Contact of a Minor

"They're all lies. I did not do anything to those little boys, and I'm going to fight it." — Timothy Busfield

Actor and director Timothy Busfield has been indicted in New Mexico on multiple charges of criminal sexual contact of a minor. The charges stem from allegations made by two twin boys regarding incidents that allegedly occurred on the set of the Fox television series The Cleaning Lady between 2022 and 2024. Busfield has denied all allegations.

The case has progressed through several legal stages, including his arrest, a detention hearing, release pending trial, and a subsequent grand jury indictment.

Charges and Legal Status

  • Busfield was indicted by a New Mexico grand jury on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child under 13. The charges are third-degree felonies.
  • He was initially charged following an arrest warrant issued in January 2026 with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse.
  • After a detention hearing on January 20, 2026, Judge David Murphy ordered Busfield released on his own recognizance pending trial. Conditions of release include no unsupervised contact with minors, no contact with alleged victims or their families, no contact with witnesses, and prohibition on alcohol and illegal drugs. No travel restrictions were imposed.
  • The case is being handled by the Bernalillo County District Attorney's special victims unit. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for April 22, 2026. A trial date has been set for May 2027.

Allegations

Primary Allegations

The charges originate from allegations made by two 11-year-old twin brothers (identified in court documents by initials SL and VL) who were child actors on The Cleaning Lady. According to a criminal complaint filed by Albuquerque Police Department investigator Marvin Kirk Brown:

  • One boy reported Busfield touched him on his private areas over his clothing on multiple occasions. The boy stated the touching began when he was 7 years old and continued when he was 8. He reported the alleged incidents occurred between November 2022 and spring 2024.
  • The second boy reported Busfield touched him but did not specify the areas of contact. He stated he disliked the touching but remained silent to avoid trouble.
  • The boys' mother reported the alleged abuse to Child Protective Services in October 2025.
  • The mother stated that Busfield had become close to her children, encouraging them to call him "Uncle Tim."
  • One boy has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, and a social worker documented reports of nightmares and fear related to the alleged incidents.
  • The children initially described tickling when first interviewed by police in 2024 but later disclosed sexual contact.

Additional Allegations Presented by Prosecutors

In a pre-trial detention motion, prosecutors presented allegations that are not part of the current criminal charges:

  • Sacramento allegation: The parents of a 16-year-old girl reported that "several years ago," during an audition at the B Street Theatre in Sacramento (co-founded by Busfield), Busfield allegedly kissed the girl and touched her intimate parts. No charges have been filed in relation to this allegation.
  • 1991 film set allegation: Actress Claudia Christian reported that on the set of the 1991 film Strays, Busfield allegedly forcibly grabbed and kissed her. Busfield has not been charged in relation to this allegation.

Prior Public Accusations

According to the arrest warrant affidavit and other court documents, Busfield has faced prior public accusations:

  • 2001 (Sacramento): A man accused Busfield of sexually abusing his daughter during an audition at the B Street Theatre. Reports indicate the matter concluded with Busfield undergoing therapy and the family agreeing not to involve police. The B Street Theatre stated Busfield withdrew from the organization after an internal investigation.
  • 1994 (Film Little Big League): A 17-year-old extra on the film accused Busfield of assaulting her after serving her alcohol. Busfield countersued for extortion; the case was settled privately. Busfield was later ordered to pay $150,000 in costs.
  • 2012 (Los Angeles): A 28-year-old woman alleged Busfield fondled her at a movie theater. Busfield stated the encounter was consensual. No criminal case or civil litigation was initiated.

Busfield's Statements and Defense

Busfield has denied all allegations. In a video statement released to TMZ, he said, "They're all lies. I did not do anything to those little boys, and I'm going to fight it."

In a November interview with investigators, Busfield suggested the boys' mother might be seeking revenge because her children were not brought back for the final season of The Cleaning Lady. He stated that another actor on the show informed him of this potential motive.

Busfield told investigators he did not remember "overtly tickling the boys ever" but stated it "wouldn't be uncommon" given the playful environment on set. He also stated he "likely picked up and tickled the boys."

Busfield's attorney, Stanton "Larry" Stein, stated the allegations are "completely false" and described the case as "fundamentally unsound and cannot be proven at trial."

The defense filed court documents stating Busfield passed a polygraph test regarding the allegations. A psychosexual evaluation filed by the defense concluded Busfield "does not appear to have a sexual attraction to prepubescent or adolescent males or females" and poses a "very low" risk to commit sexual offenses.

Investigation

  • The investigation began in November 2024 after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital contacted police. The children's parents had sought consultation at the hospital based on a law firm's recommendation.
  • The initial police inquiry was closed but later reopened. In October 2025, the mother reported to Child Protective Services that both children had disclosed sexual abuse.
  • The arrest warrant was issued on January 9, 2026. Busfield surrendered to authorities on January 13, 2026, and was booked into the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center.
  • The investigating officer concluded in the complaint that Busfield used his position as a director to commit the alleged crimes, describing actions consistent with grooming behavior.

Warner Bros. Investigation

Warner Bros., the producer of The Cleaning Lady, conducted an independent investigation into complaints against Busfield reported in February 2023. According to the criminal complaint and statements from Warner Bros., this review did not find evidence to corroborate the allegations.

Christina McGovern of Solomon Law stated that based on allegations and evidence including witness statements, no corroborating evidence was found that Busfield engaged in inappropriate conduct or was ever alone with the accusers on set.

Spouse's Statements and Support

Busfield is married to actor Melissa Gilbert. Gilbert has publicly stated her support for her husband:

  • In a letter to the court, Gilbert described Busfield as having "the strongest moral compass of any human I have ever known" and stated he "starts every day with kindness and compassion."
  • Gilbert's representative stated she "supports her husband" and is focusing on "supporting and caring for their family."
  • In an interview with Good Morning America, Gilbert described the experience as "the most traumatizing experience of our lives" and stated, "Our life as we knew it is done." She added, "For Tim, it's done. He's canceled ... even if he's exonerated, he will always be that guy."
  • Gilbert stated she believes in his innocence, saying: "And believe me, if I thought for a second that Tim Busfield hurt a child, he'd have a lot more to worry about than prison."
  • Gilbert deactivated her Instagram account following the surfacing of allegations. Her lifestyle brand, Modern Prairie, canceled a virtual Q&A session citing her need for privacy.
  • Gilbert's letter was among 75 letters of support submitted to the court, including contributions from Busfield's stepson Michael and former Thirtysomething co-stars Ken Olin and Peter Horton.

Career and Background

Timothy Busfield, 68, is an actor and director known for roles in The West Wing, Field of Dreams, Thirtysomething (for which he won an Emmy in 1991), and Revenge of the Nerds.

The Cleaning Lady aired for four seasons on Fox from 2022 to 2025. Busfield served as a director, actor, and executive producer on the series.

Following the allegations:

  • Deadline.com reported Busfield was edited out of an upcoming Amazon MGM Studios film.
  • Variety reported a guest-starring episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit featuring Busfield was shelved by NBC.
  • In January 2026, Busfield was dropped by his longtime agency, Innovative Artists.

Melissa Gilbert served as president of the Screen Actors Guild from 2001 to 2005.