Actor Charged with Shocking Crimes Surrenders to Police

Actor and director Timothy Busfield has surrendered to police in New Mexico following the issuance of an arrest warrant tied to child sexual abuse allegations — claims the Emmy winner strongly denies.

Authorities confirmed that Busfield, 68, turned himself in days after New Mexico officials issued a warrant accusing him of sexually abusing two minors. According to court records reviewed by Newsweek, the case stems from allegations made by the mother of two child actors who say the incidents occurred while they were working on a television set.

Busfield has publicly denied the accusations, telling TMZ that he plans to “confront these lies.”

The investigation reportedly began in late 2024 after a hospital physician alerted law enforcement. At the time, the claims did not meet the threshold for charges. However, in October 2025, the children’s mother contacted Child Protective Services and said both children disclosed ongoing sexual abuse allegedly committed by Busfield between November 2022 and spring 2024.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in Bernalillo County, police are seeking Busfield on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. Albuquerque Police were assisted by U.S. Marshals as authorities worked to locate the actor prior to his surrender, local station KOAT reported.

The alleged abuse is said to have occurred on the set of Fox’s crime drama The Cleaning Lady, a series Busfield directed during its run. Parents told investigators their 11-year-old children were abused while working on the show. After consulting a law firm, the family took the children to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where staff allegedly expressed concerns that the children appeared to have been groomed.

Therapy records reviewed by investigators reportedly document that both children accused Busfield of inappropriate touching.

When questioned by authorities, Busfield claimed the children’s parents were upset over a casting decision that resulted in one child being replaced by a younger actor. He acknowledged that physical contact may have occurred but characterized it as innocent, saying the set environment was playful and may have included actions like picking the boys up or tickling them.

Court documents also note that Busfield was previously accused of sexual abuse in 1994 and again in 2012, though no charges were filed in either case.

Busfield is married to actress Melissa Gilbert, best known for her role as Laura Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie. The couple married in 2013 and have worked together on multiple theater projects. Gilbert, a former president of the Screen Actors Guild, has two children from previous marriages.

Busfield has built a decades-long career in Hollywood, appearing in acclaimed series like Thirtysomething, The West Wing, and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, along with films including Field of Dreams and Sneakers. His directing résumé includes episodes of This Is Us, Law & Order: SVU, and The Fosters.

The case remains ongoing, and Busfield’s legal team has not yet commented publicly beyond his denial.