Timothy Busfield made a primary look in New Mexico court docket Wednesday as prosecutors detailed a brand new sexual abuse accusation in opposition to the Emmy-winning actor.
Busfield, 68, has been charged with two felony counts of felony sexual contact of a minor and a single depend of kid abuse for allegedly inappropriately touching two little one actors whereas he labored as a director and govt producer on the Fox drama “The Cleansing Woman,” filmed in Albuquerque. He was held with out bond pending a listening to on a movement for pretrial detention.
In that movement, prosecutors argued Busfield must be jailed pending trial resulting from what they known as “a sustained sample of predatory conduct” that they mentioned dated to not less than 1994. That 12 months, a 17-year-old additional on the movie “Little Large League” accused Busfield of sexually assaulting her in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Courtroom that was later settled privately, the movement states.
Most lately, a person named Colin Swift reported to legislation enforcement on Tuesday that, years in the past, Busfield sexually abused Swift’s then-16-year-old daughter throughout an audition at B Road Theatre in Sacramento, the movement states. Swift alleged that Busfield begged the household to not report the abuse to legislation enforcement if he obtained remedy, they usually initially agreed, the submitting states.
No prices have been filed in opposition to Busfield in reference to that incident.
Busfield based B Road Theatre as a touring firm known as Theatre for Youngsters Inc. in 1986, in keeping with its web site. Though he’s listed as an emeritus board member, he has not participated within the group since 2001, and the incident lately reported to police is alleged to have taken place there about 25 years in the past, in keeping with an announcement from B Road Theatre. The theater has retained authorized counsel to conduct an inside investigation, the assertion mentioned.
Prosecutors allege Busfield’s conduct “displays a calculated sample of grooming, lack of boundaries, and exploitation {of professional} authority to realize entry to minors,” in keeping with the movement for pretrial detention. Witnesses have mentioned they worry retaliation and profession hurt for talking out in opposition to him, demonstrating “how people in positions of energy are in a position to silence victims and witnesses, permitting abuse to persist unchecked,” they wrote.
A consultant for Busfield couldn’t be reached Wednesday. His legal professional Stanton “Larry” Stein beforehand mentioned in an announcement that the actor is harmless and “decided to clear his title.” He additionally referenced an affidavit through which Busfield recommended to investigators that the kid actors’ mom may need sought “revenge” on the director for “not bringing her youngsters again for the ultimate season.”
The actor, identified for his work on tv sequence “The West Wing” and “Thirtysomething,” turned himself in Tuesday, which prosecutors allege was 5 days after he knew a decide had issued a warrant for his arrest. Throughout that point, Busfield traveled from New York to New Mexico to keep away from the extradition course of and give up at a handy time, the movement alleges.
He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Middle in Albuquerque, the place he remained Wednesday.
Busfield is accused of inappropriately touching the 2 little one actors, who’re brothers, on the set of “The Cleansing Woman,” in keeping with an affidavit. Their mom reported the abuse happened from November 2022 to spring 2024, in keeping with the grievance. Police launched an investigation in November 2024 after being notified of the alleged abuse by a health care provider on the College of New Mexico Hospital.
Based on prosecutors, “Cleansing Woman” producer Warner Bros. performed an investigation into Busfield’s conduct in February 2025 after the Display Actors Guild-American Federation of Tv and Radio Artists hotline fielded an nameless grievance that the director entered a trailer on the set and kissed a 6-year-old boy on the face whereas he was getting a haircut. One other caller to the hotline claimed that, in September 2024, Busfield requested a guardian to attend outdoors and took a minor — one of many alleged victims within the New Mexico case — behind closed doorways for an audition on the Cinelease Studios workplace in Albuquerque, in keeping with the movement.
A 3rd-party investigator retained by Warner Bros., nevertheless, discovered no proof that Busfield had been alone with the brothers on set or engaged in different inappropriate conduct, in keeping with an announcement from the investigator launched by Stein, Busfield’s legal professional. However the investigator failed to talk with one of many victims and his mother and father, in addition to key witnesses, prosecutors allege within the movement.
Warner Bros. Tv mentioned in an announcement that it takes all misconduct allegations severely and has cooperated with legislation enforcement by expediting the sharing of the report by its third-party investigator, which it might have withheld as privileged. The studio has a transparent non-retaliation coverage to make sure staff really feel snug reporting issues, the assertion mentioned. “Our prime precedence is the well being and security of our solid and crew throughout all productions,” it mentioned.
Busfield, who’s married to actor Melissa Gilbert, was additionally accused of battery in March 2012 by a 28-year-old lady who mentioned he sexually assaulted her in a Los Angeles movie show, however prosecutors declined to file prices resulting from “slim proof,” in keeping with the movement for pretrial detention.
The listening to on the movement, throughout which a decide will resolve whether or not Busfield stays in jail, can be scheduled in 2nd Judicial District Courtroom in Albuquerque throughout the subsequent 5 enterprise days, mentioned Camille Cordova, a public info officer for the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Courtroom.
Earlier than he surrendered, Busfield recorded a video at his legal professional’s workplace through which he denied the allegations. “I’m gonna confront these lies,” he mentioned within the video revealed by TMZ, “they’re horrible.”
Prosecutors known as the transfer “troubling” and mentioned it demonstrated “a willingness to prioritize private narrative management and public relations” over complying with court docket processes.
Occasions employees author Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.
