Actor Timothy Busfield, known for his roles in “West Wing” and “Field of Dreams,” faces a legal battle after a grand jury indicted him on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child under 13 years old in New Mexico. The accusations stem from his time as a director on the television series “The Cleaning Lady” between 2022 and 2024. Busfield has denied the allegations, which were initially raised by law enforcement and now progress to trial following the grand jury’s decision.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman revealed the indictment via a social media post. Despite turning himself in on related charges in January and subsequent release based on a lack of prior criminal behavior involving children, Busfield’s case moves forward with the grand jury’s approval, bypassing a preliminary hearing.
Larry Stein, Busfield’s attorney, highlighted that the grand jury did not support grooming charges sought by prosecutors. Stein emphasized weaknesses in the state’s evidence during a detention hearing and expressed Busfield’s determination to challenge the accusations in court.
The initial criminal complaint outlined instances where Busfield allegedly touched a boy’s private areas over his clothing when the boy was seven and eight years old. The boy’s twin also reported similar encounters but delayed speaking out due to fear of consequences. The indictment reinforces these claims, stating multiple occasions of inappropriate touching by Busfield.
Prosecutors cited strong evidence of abuse, including medical findings and therapist testimonies, indicating grooming behavior and misuse of power spanning three decades. Each count in the indictment carries a potential six-year prison sentence, with the possibility of enhancement for sexual offenses.
Despite concerns over the nature of the allegations involving children, Busfield was released after a court ruling determined that public safety would not be compromised. Busfield, married to actor Melissa Gilbert, has had a successful acting career, earning accolades for his performances in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams,” and “Thirtysomething,” the latter securing him an Emmy award in 1991.