At a Glance
- Timothy Busfield turned himself in on January 13 after a warrant charged him with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse
- The actor’s attorney calls the claims “absolutely false” and blames a casting dispute on the Fox series The Cleaning Lady
- Prosecutors are seeking pretrial detention, citing an alleged decades-long pattern of grooming
- Why it matters: The case pits a family’s accusations against Warner Bros.’ outside investigation that found no corroborating evidence
Timothy Busfield surrendered to Albuquerque police on January 13 following an arrest warrant that accuses him of sexually abusing twin 11-year-old boys he met while directing The Cleaning Lady. His attorney insists the allegations are retaliation for the boys being recast.
Charges and Surrender
Busfield, 68, was officially charged with:
- Two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor
- One count of child abuse
Officer Marvin Brown of the Albuquerque Police Department had issued the warrant four days earlier. One count claims the contact began when the child was 7.
“He’s shocked,” civil attorney Larry Stein told News Of Los Angeles. “He’s absolutely shocked. He’s devastated and will defend himself, because these are absolutely false allegations.”
What the Warrant Alleges
The warrant, obtained by News Of Los Angeles, states the boys were child actors on the Fox drama, which ran from January 2022 to June 2025. Their parents told investigators Busfield directed episodes and had access to the minors on set.
Prosecutors Seek Detention
Bernalillo District Attorney Sam Bregman announced on Facebook that his office filed a motion asking the court to keep Busfield jailed while the case proceeds.
Key excerpts from the motion:
- “The Defendant poses an ongoing and serious danger to children and the community”
- “His conduct reflects a calculated pattern of grooming, lack of boundaries, and exploitation of professional authority to gain access to minors. A pattern of inappropriate conduct spanning decades”
- “No condition or combination of conditions … can reasonably mitigate this danger”
Stein predicts a judge will deny the request and release Busfield on his own recognisance, arguing “there is no evidence to support these claims.”
Recasting Dispute
Stein contends the root issue was creative, not criminal. According to Stein:
- The boys worked on the series for three years
- Only one in-universe year passed, so producers needed younger actors
- The showrunner, not Busfield, decided to replace them
- The mother was furious her sons were let go
Busfield told investigators Warner Bros. launched an outside investigation after the parents complained. He further claims an actress on the show told him the mother “wanted revenge.”
Outside Investigation
Christina McGovern, the independent investigator retained by Warner Bros. Television, provided Stein with a statement that reads in full:
“I conducted an independent and thorough investigation of all allegations known to the Studio at the time. Warner Bros. gave me full discretion as to my investigation. Based on what was alleged, and all evidence gathered, including multiple witness statements, I found no corroborating evidence that Mr. Busfield engaged in inappropriate conduct or that he was ever alone with the twins on set.”
A Warner Bros. Television spokesperson previously told News Of Los Angeles:
“The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors on our productions. We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and have systems in place to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and when needed, take appropriate action.”
Video Statement Before Surrender
Moments before turning himself in, Busfield recorded a video obtained by TMZ:
“Hi everybody, it’s Tim. I’m sure most of you know, that are watching this, that I was ordered to come to Albuquerque – I’m here now. I got the call Friday night, I had to get a lawyer. Saturday I got in the car, drove 2,000 miles to Albuquerque. I’m gonna confront these lies. They’re horrible. They’re all lies and I did not do anything to those little boys and I’m gonna fight it. I’m gonna fight it with a great team, and I’m gonna be exonerated, I know I am, because this is all so wrong and all lies. So hang in there, and hopefully I’m out real soon and back to work. I love everybody for supporting me, thank you.”
Support From Wife
Melissa Gilbert’s representative, Ame Van Iden, told News Of Los Angeles:
“Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time.”
Second Allegation
A pretrial detention motion filed January 14 and obtained by News Of Los Angeles includes an additional claim from Colin Swift, who told police on January 13 that Busfield allegedly sexually abused Swift’s daughter “several years ago” in Sacramento, California.
According to the motion:
- The girl was 16 while auditioning for Busfield at B Street Theatre
- Busfield allegedly “kissed her and put his hands down her pants and touched her privates”
- He “begged the family to not report to law enforcement if he received therapy”
- Swift, a therapist, agreed at the time
B Street Theatre told News Of Los Angeles that legal counsel was retained “to conduct an internal investigation, and Mr. Busfield has not had any role in the organization since 2001.”
Stein responded:
“The allegations were never challenged, they were never proved, and they’re 25 years old. And there doesn’t seem to be any connection between these allegations regarding women 25 years ago and the allegations regarding these young boys.”
Key Takeaways
- Busfield faces three charges tied to alleged abuse on the set of The Cleaning Lady
- Prosecutors cite a broader grooming pattern; the defense blames a casting fallout
- An outside investigator hired by Warner Bros. found no corroborating evidence
- A separate decades-old claim has surfaced, though it remains unadjudicated
- The judge’s upcoming ruling on pretrial detention will determine whether Busfield remains free while awaiting trial
