Timothy Busfield, the Emmy-winning actor known for roles in 'Thirtysomething' and 'The West Wing,' turned himself in to authorities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Tuesday. He faces two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse, stemming from claims that he touched two young brothers inappropriately while directing episodes of the Fox series 'The Cleaning Lady.' Prosecutors want him held in jail until trial, pointing to the serious nature of the charges and his history of past accusations.
Background
Busfield directed parts of 'The Cleaning Lady,' a crime drama filmed in Albuquerque that ran for four seasons on Fox until 2025. The show follows a cleaning lady who gets pulled into a world of crime. Warner Bros. Television produced it. The alleged incidents happened between November 2022 and spring 2024 on the set.
The mother of the two boys, who are twins and identified only by initials in court papers, reported the matter to New Mexico Child Protective Services in October 2025. She said her sons faced abuse during their time working on the show. One boy was 7 years old at the time of the first alleged touching. Police got involved in November 2024 after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital flagged concerns about abuse the children had suffered.
An arrest warrant came out last Friday. Busfield, 68, learned about it that day. He got a lawyer, then drove 2,000 miles from his home to Albuquerque over the weekend. He walked into the Metro Detention Center on Tuesday morning. A police spokesperson confirmed he was booked on the charges.
Before these claims surfaced, Busfield faced sexual assault accusations from two women in the 1990s and another in 2012. Those cases did not lead to charges. His wife, actress Melissa Gilbert from 'Little House on the Prairie,' has stayed quiet publicly. Her Instagram profile is no longer active, and her publicist said she will not comment at her husband's lawyers' request.
Key Details
Court documents outline what the boys told investigators. One boy said Busfield touched his private areas over his clothes three or four times when he was 7. On another day, when he was 8, it happened five or six times. The boy said he stayed silent out of fear because Busfield was the director and might get angry. His twin brother said Busfield touched him too but did not give details on where. He also kept quiet to avoid trouble.
Earlier Complaints on Set
Warner Bros. looked into a complaint in spring 2025 about Busfield's behavior with one of the boys. An anonymous tip came through the SAG-AFTRA hotline in February 2025. It claimed Busfield kissed a minor boy on the face in December 2024 in the hair and makeup trailer. The tip also mentioned pictures of Busfield tickling and caressing the heads and bodies of minor boys. The studio hired investigator Christina McGovern. She found no proof to back the claims and said Busfield was never alone with the twins on set. Witnesses backed that up.
One boy now has a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. A social worker noted his nightmares about Busfield touching him.
Busfield spoke to police during the probe last fall. He denied everything. He suggested the boys' mother wanted revenge because her sons were dropped from the show for the final season. He described the set as playful, saying he might have picked up or tickled the kids.
"I'm gonna confront these lies. They're horrible. They're all lies and I did not do anything to those little boys." – Timothy Busfield, in a video statement
His lawyer, Stanton 'Larry' Stein, called the charges false. Stein said Busfield is set to clear his name. Stein pointed to the Warner Bros. probe and prior findings of no wrongdoing.
NBC pulled a 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' episode set to air Thursday. Busfield played a judge in it. The show deals with sex crimes.
What This Means
Prosecutors argue Busfield is a flight risk. They note the charges involve children and his past accusations. They also mention a new claim from his time at B Street Theatre in Sacramento. There, he is accused of groping a 16-year-old girl during an audition years ago. This detail came up in their push to keep him locked up before trial.
His defense team will likely ask a judge to let him out. Options could include giving up his passport, wearing an ankle monitor, or promising to show up in court. Legal experts say the case's strength depends on evidence beyond the boys' words, given the failed Warner Bros. investigation.
The U.S. Marshals Service had joined the search before he surrendered, showing how seriously officials took finding him. Busfield told supporters to hang in there and said he looks forward to getting back to work after proving his innocence.
This case shines a light on child safety rules on TV sets. Unions like SAG-AFTRA have hotlines for tips, and studios run their own checks. But when police get involved, it can lead to charges even if company probes find nothing. The boys' mother reportedly said after her sons left the show that she would get revenge on Busfield. That claim may play big in court.
Busfield built a long career in TV and film. He won an Emmy in 1991 for 'Thirtysomething.' He appeared in movies like 'Field of Dreams.' Now, this legal fight could change his path. Court dates ahead will decide if he stays in jail or goes home while fighting the case. The allegations involve sensitive details about kids, so much stays sealed from public view.
