Actor Timothy Busfield, known for his roles in “West Wing” and “Field of Dreams,” has been charged by a grand jury with four counts of criminal sexual contact involving a child under 13 years old, as announced by a New Mexico prosecutor on Friday. The accusations stem from Busfield’s tenure as a director on the television series “The Cleaning Lady” from 2022 to 2024. Despite the charges initially filed by law enforcement, Busfield has denied the allegations, with his defense attorney affirming his intent to contest the charges vigorously.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman disclosed the indictment through a social media post. Previously, Busfield surrendered to authorities in January regarding related charges, following which he was released from detention by a judge who identified no history of criminal behavior or similar accusations involving children in Busfield’s past. The grand jury indictment permits the legal proceedings against Busfield to advance towards a potential trial without the necessity of a preliminary court hearing on the evidence.
Larry Stein, Busfield’s legal representative, refrained from addressing the specific sexual contact charge outlined in the indictment but noted that the grand jury did not support grooming charges advocated by the prosecutors. Prosecutors opted not to elaborate on the accusations presented to the grand jury. In response, Stein emphasized in a statement that critical deficiencies in the state’s evidence were exposed during a detention hearing, asserting Busfield’s determination to challenge the charges at every phase and eagerly anticipate the examination of the state’s case in a public trial.
An investigator from the Albuquerque Police Department reported that a child alleged Busfield touched his private areas over clothing at the ages of seven and eight, with the child’s sibling also reporting similar encounters but hesitated to disclose immediately due to fear of repercussions. The indictment, submitted in state District Court on Friday, reiterated the allegations of Busfield applying force to the intimate parts of one of the boys on multiple occasions.
During a detention hearing in the past month, Busfield’s legal team highlighted inconsistencies in the children’s initial statements to the police, alleging parental influence leading to incriminating statements following the children losing lucrative roles on the show. Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch underscored the strength of the evidence against Busfield, supported by medical findings and the therapist of the children, who expressed concerns about potential retaliation and professional repercussions.
Prosecutors detailed a pattern of grooming conduct and abuse of authority by Busfield spanning three decades. Each charge in the indictment against Busfield carries a potential penalty of six years in prison, with the possibility of enhancement for sexual offenses. Despite the serious nature of the accusations involving children, the state District Court Judge David Murphy, during Busfield’s release on January 20, mentioned that prosecutors did not establish the risk posed to public safety if Busfield were to be released.
Timothy Busfield, married to actor Melissa Gilbert, is acclaimed for his roles in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams,” and “Thirtysomething,” the latter earning him an Emmy Award for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series in 1991.