A New Mexico grand jury has indicted actor Timothy Busfield on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child.
The former “The West Wing” and “Thirtysomething” star is accused of misconduct involving two young actors, twin brothers, on the Albuquerque set of “The Cleaning Lady,” for which he directed several episodes and served as an executive producer.
According to the boys’ parents, they were inappropriately touched multiple times between November 2022 and the spring of 2024, with one of the brothers saying the abuse began when he was 7 years old.
Busfield and his wife, actor Melissa Gilbert, confirmed they had a relationship with the boys and their parents outside of work, though the 68-year-old defendant has vehemently denied wrongdoing.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman announced the indictment on Friday. The development comes weeks after Busfield was arrested on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse.
It’s unclear what led to the change in charges. The DA office’s said no further information would be released at this time.
Busfield voluntarily surrendered to authorities on Jan. 13 after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was released from jail a week later after a Bernalillo County district judge determined the actor didn’t present a threat to the community.
According to Busfield’s attorneys, he suspects the boys’ mother was seeking revenge after her children were cut out the final season of “The Cleaning Lady.” They said an independent investigation launched by Warner Bros. was unable to corroborate the accusations.
Prosecutors have argued the investigator failed to speak to key witnesses.
Stein on Friday told TMZ the indictment was “not unexpected” but “deeply concerning,” as the DA has chosen to “proceed on a case that is fundamentally unsound and cannot be proven at trial.”
“The detention hearing exposed fatal weaknesses in the State’s evidence — gaps that no amount of charging decisions can cure,” Stein said. “This prosecution appears driven by something other than the facts or the law.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, Busfield has three adult children from two previous marriages. Gilbert — whom he wed in 2013 — has two adult sons from her two earlier marriages.
With News Wire Services