Actor Timothy Busfield held without bail in New Mexico child sex abuse case

Emmy Award-winning actor Timothy Busfield made his first court appearance Wednesday, a day after surrendering to authorities facing child sexual abuse charges stemming from allegations he inappropriately touched a minor on the set of a television series he was making in New Mexico.

Busfield was ordered held without bail. He appeared remotely via video link from prison. Whether he remains in jail will be the subject of a detention hearing scheduled for Tuesday.

Albuquerque Police issued an arrest warrant for Busfield last week for two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. A criminal complaint alleges the acts occurred on the set of the series “The Cleaning Lady,” filmed in Albuquerque.

“Tim Busfield denies the allegations in the criminal complaint and maintains that they are completely false,” attorney Larry Stein said in a statement to CBS News. “On a voluntary basis, he submitted to an independent polygraph examination regarding these allegations and he passed.”

The 68-year-old actor, married to actress Melissa Gilbert and known for his appearances on “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams” and “Thirtysomething,” has vowed to fight the accusations. In a video shared before turning himself in, Busfield called the allegations lies.

During the brief court appearance Wednesday, Busfield remained silent and expressionless, dressed in orange jail clothing, as a defense attorney spoke on his behalf.

Prosecutors are seeking to keep Busfield in custody pending trial, citing a “history of alleged sexual misconduct.” They filed a motion Wednesday morning detailing the reasons for their request, highlighting what they described as a documented pattern of sexual misconduct, abuse of authority and grooming behavior by Busfield over two decades. They also said witnesses expressed fear of retaliation and professional harm.

Another allegation was reported to law enforcement the same day Busfield turned himself in, Assistant Albuquerque District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch told the judge Wednesday in a court filing. The father of a then-16-year-old girl claimed that Busfield inappropriately kissed and touched his daughter, who he said was auditioning for a role at B Street Theater, an organization founded by Busfield and his brother in Sacramento, California. The incident occurred several years ago, according to the court document.

Busfield allegedly “begged the family not to come forward to law enforcement if he attended therapy,” Brandenburg-Koch said in the motion. The girl’s father, who is a therapist himself, said he thought it was the best thing to do at the time, according to the prosecutor.

In a statement to CBS SacramentoB Street Theater said that although Busfield is its founder, he has not played an active role in its operations in any capacity since 2001. The theater declined to comment further on Busfield due to the ongoing investigation.

The motion filed in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court to keep Busfield in custody also states that research and experience show that offenders are uniquely positioned to evade responsibility and circumvent safeguards designed to protect children when they exercise authority, status or influence.

“In light of Defendant’s demonstrated disregard for boundaries, authority, and respect for rules, no condition or combination of conditions of release can reasonably protect the victims or the community,” the motion states.

It will be up to a judge to determine whether to grant the request. A detention hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Prosecutors also took issue with Busfield releasing a video to media outlet TMZ on Tuesday, suggesting he prioritized “personal narrative control and public relations” over respecting legal process.

According to the criminal complaint, a police department investigator says the child said he was 7 years old when Busfield allegedly touched him several times on private areas on his clothing. Busfield allegedly touched him on another occasion when he was 8 years old, according to the complaint.

The complaint also states that the child was allegedly afraid to tell anyone because Busfield was the principal and he feared becoming angry with him.

The boy’s twin brother told authorities he was also shot by Busfield, but did not say where. He said he didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to get in trouble.

The twins’ mother reported to Child Protective Services that the abuse occurred between November 2022 and spring 2024, the complaint states.

In an interview with police last fall, Busfield denied the allegations and suggested the boys’ mother was seeking revenge for replacing her children on the show. Busfield’s attorney echoed that argument Tuesday.

The investigation began in November 2024 after a call from a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. The boys’ parents went there on the recommendation of a law firm, the complaint states.

Busfield’s lawyer said an independent investigation by Warner Bros. could not corroborate the allegations of inappropriate behavior on the part of Busfield. But prosecutors argued in their filing that the investigator failed to speak to key witnesses.

A press secretary for Gilbert said she is “not making any public statements at this time.”

“Any so-called ‘statements’ circulating online – including AI-generated deepfakes showing her ‘breaking his silence’ – should not be taken as coming from her,” publicist Ame Van Iden said in a statement, adding: “Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at the appropriate time. We ask that their privacy be respected.”

Innovative Artists, a Hollywood agency, also confirmed to CBS News on Thursday that it had removed Busfield from its client list.