Former “West Wing” and “Field of Dreams” actor, Timothy Busfield, faces four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child under age 13 as announced by a New Mexico prosecutor. The charges stem from Busfield’s tenure as a director on the TV series “The Cleaning Lady” between 2022 and 2024. Busfield has refuted the allegations, which were initially brought to court by law enforcement. His defense attorney affirmed that Busfield will vigorously contest the charges at every phase of legal proceedings.
The indictment against Busfield was revealed by Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman through a social media post. Earlier, Busfield surrendered to authorities in January regarding related accusations by the police. Following a judge’s decision that found no prior criminal patterns or similar allegations involving children in Busfield’s history, he was released from custody. The grand jury indictment now paves the way for the case to advance towards a potential trial without a preliminary evidentiary hearing.
Larry Stein, Busfield’s legal representative, refrained from addressing the specific sexual contact charge in the indictment but highlighted that grooming charges, sought by prosecutors, were not endorsed by the grand jury. Stein emphasized that a detention hearing had exposed critical flaws in the state’s evidence, casting doubt on the case against Busfield. The attorney asserted Busfield’s determination to challenge the charges openly in court.
In a recent development, an investigator from the Albuquerque Police Department disclosed that a boy alleged Busfield had touched him inappropriately when he was seven and again at eight years old. The boy’s twin also reported similar encounters but delayed disclosure out of fear of repercussions. The indictment, filed in state District Court, reiterated the allegations of Busfield’s inappropriate actions towards the boys’ intimate parts on multiple occasions.
Despite Busfield’s release following the initial arrest, Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch underscored the strength and specificity of the abuse evidence against him. Allegations of grooming behavior and abuse of power spanning three decades have been detailed by prosecutors. Each count in the indictment carries a potential penalty of six years in prison, with the possibility of enhancement for sexual offenses.
Although the crimes attributed to Busfield are deemed dangerous and involve minors, the judge presiding over the case did not find sufficient evidence to warrant continued detention. Busfield, married to actor Melissa Gilbert, gained fame for his roles in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams,” and “Thirtysomething,” the latter of which earned him an Emmy award for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series in 1991.
