American actor Timothy Busfield, best known for roles in The West Wing and Field of Dreams, is facing serious criminal charges in the United States after twin boys accused him of sexual assault on a television set. The 68-year-old actor and director has been charged with criminal sexual contact of a minor under 13 and one count of child abuse.
Allegations from the Set of 'The Cleaning Lady'
According to an arrest warrant filed in New Mexico, the alleged incidents involved two 11-year-old boys who worked on the Fox television series The Cleaning Lady, which Busfield was directing. The twins, who referred to Busfield as 'Uncle Tim', claim the abuse started when they were seven years old.
One boy told a forensic interviewer that Busfield touched his 'private areas' while he was on a bed on set. He stated he was too afraid to report it at the time because Busfield was the director. Police report the child has since been diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety stemming from the alleged abuse. His brother also reported being touched, though was less specific about the nature of the contact.
In the warrant, an officer wrote that Busfield described the set as a 'playful environment' and said it was 'highly likely' he had physical contact with the accusers. The actor allegedly told authorities he could not remember a specific protocol about touching children and did not 'really remember' picking up or tickling the alleged victims.
Contested Claims and a Cross-Country Surrender
Busfield has vehemently denied all allegations. In a video statement to TMZ, he said: 'They're all lies and I did not do anything to those little boys, and I'm gonna fight it... I'm gonna be exonerated.' He suggested the boys' parents lodged the complaint as retribution because their sons were replaced by other child actors as they grew older.
For four days after the warrant was issued, Busfield was considered a fugitive. His attorney, Larry Stein, explained that his client was driving from upstate New York to Albuquerque to surrender because the warrant prohibited him from flying. A request to have the warrant pulled so he could travel by plane was denied by a judge.
'As soon as he got here in Albuquerque, his local criminal lawyer walked him into the courthouse and he surrendered,' Stein stated. Meanwhile, a heavily armed U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force raided his New York home, only to find he had already turned himself in on Tuesday.
Further Accusations and Industry Response
As Busfield surrendered, a new allegation surfaced in a pretrial motion. It claims a man reported that Busfield sexually abused his daughter 'several years ago' in Sacramento, California, during an audition at the B Street Theatre. The motion alleges Busfield 'begged the family to not report [the incident] to law enforcement if he received therapy.'
Busfield's attorney dismissed this as an unrelated, 25-year-old allegation. A spokesperson for B Street Theatre confirmed Busfield has had no role there since 2001, though he remains listed as an emeritus board member.
On the set of The Cleaning Lady, a hair-and-makeup artist, Danielle Vigil, told police she witnessed Busfield enter a trailer and kiss other child actors on the forehead. The warrant states she said 'everyone knew to avoid Timothy because he was creepy' and that she feared retaliation for speaking out.
In contrast, an independent investigation commissioned by Warner Bros., launched after an anonymous complaint to the SAG-AFTRA hotline in February 2025, reportedly found no evidence of inappropriate conduct or that Busfield was ever alone with the boys.
Busfield is married to actress Melissa Gilbert. A representative for Gilbert said she 'stands with and supports her husband' but is honouring his lawyers' request not to speak publicly during the legal process.
The actor was arraigned in Albuquerque on Wednesday and is being held without bond. He is next due in court on January 20, where a judge will decide on a prosecution motion to keep him in custody until trial.
