Actor Timothy Busfield Indicted on Four Felony Charges in New Mexico

Actor Timothy Busfield, 68, has been indicted by a Bernalillo County grand jury on four felony charges, New Mexico officials announced Friday, Feb. 6.

Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said Busfield was indicted on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child. All four charges are third-degree felonies, according to court documents.

“As with all criminal proceedings, Mr. Busfield is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law,” Bregman said in a statement shared on social media. He added that the case is expected to move forward to trial and will be handled by the Special Victims Unit. Bregman emphasized that protecting children remains a top priority for his office.

Arrest and Release Conditions

Busfield turned himself in on Jan. 13, four days after the Albuquerque Police Department issued a warrant for his arrest. The warrant alleges he engaged in unlawful sexual conduct involving 11-year-old twin boys.

Prosecutors requested that Busfield be held in custody before trial, but on Jan. 20 a judge released him on his own recognizance following a two-hour hearing in a San Bernalillo district court. His wife, actress Melissa Gilbert, was present and became emotional when the decision was announced.

Under the release order, Busfield must appear at all future court dates and is prohibited from possessing firearms, consuming alcohol or illegal drugs, contacting the alleged victims or their families, or having unsupervised contact with any minors. He is allowed to travel but will remain under supervision by New Mexico Pretrial Services.

Busfield Denies Allegations

Before surrendering, Busfield denied the accusations in a video obtained by TMZ.

“I did not do anything,” he said. “They’re all lies, and I’m going to fight it.”

A representative for Gilbert later released a statement saying she is focused on supporting their family and asked for privacy as the legal process continues.

Details of the Investigation

According to the arrest warrant, the alleged victims met Busfield on the set of the FOX series The Cleaning Lady, where he worked as a director and the boys were child actors. The show aired from January 2022 through June 2025.

The investigation began in November 2024 after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital alerted police to possible abuse. Early reports did not initially meet the criteria for prosecution. However, in October 2025, the boys’ mother filed a police report stating that her children later disclosed alleged abuse occurring between November 2022 and spring 2024.

Past Allegations

Court documents also reference prior sexual assault allegations involving Busfield dating back to 1994, as well as a separate accusation reported in January 2026 by the father of another alleged victim in California. Busfield’s civil attorney said those older claims were never proven.

Busfield, known for roles in films such as Field of Dreams, continues to deny all allegations. The case is expected to proceed through the New Mexico court system in the coming months.