Timothy Busfield Indicted on Child Sex Abuse Charges

Actor Timothy Busfield is now facing formal charges in New Mexico, where a grand jury has indicted him on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child. The Bernalillo County District Attorney's office announced the indictment Friday and said it expects the case against the 68-year-old will proceed to trial, reports NBC News. The indictment follows Busfield's arrest last month on charges involving two boys who appeared on Fox's The Cleaning Lady, which he both acted in and directed, per the AP.

Authorities allege Busfield touched the children on multiple occasions on set between November 2022 and spring 2024. His lawyers say the claims were fabricated by the boys' parents after the children lost their roles, citing an investigation commissioned by Warner Bros. that found no corroborating evidence. At a prior detention hearing, however, a prosecutor described the boys' accounts to a therapist and doctor as specific and credible, and referenced past, uncharged allegations from other accusers. The judge, who discounted those earlier claims, has released Busfield without bond while the case proceeds. Busfield is best known for his roles in The West Wing, Field of Dreams, and Thirtysomething.