A disturbing legal scandal has erupted in Hollywood involving one of the industry’s most veteran character actors. Authorities in New Mexico have issued an arrest warrant for Timothy Busfield, the Emmy-winning star known for his roles in The West Wing and Field of Dreams, on charges of child sex abuse.
The warrant, signed by a judge in Albuquerque on Friday, charges the 68-year-old actor with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one open count of child abuse. The allegations stem from his time working as a director and executive producer on the Fox crime drama The Cleaning Lady.
This development marks a stunning fall from grace for Busfield, who has been a fixture in American television for four decades. If convicted, the charges could carry a significant prison sentence, turning a legacy of beloved roles into a criminal record.
According to court documents obtained by KOAT, the investigation began in November 2024 when an officer was dispatched to the University of New Mexico Hospital after a doctor called police. Detectives were alerted after a physician at the University of New Mexico Hospital reported potential sexual abuse involving two child actors.
The victims are identified in court documents as twin brothers who were cast members on The Cleaning Lady. The boys, who were 7 and 8 years old at the time of the alleged incidents, told forensic interviewers that Busfield engaged in “grooming” behavior. They claimed he encouraged them to call him “Uncle Tim” and bought expensive gifts for their family to foster a false sense of closeness.
The complaint details a pattern of alleged abuse that occurred between November 2022 and early 2024. One child reported that Busfield touched his “private areas” multiple times while they were alone in a bedroom set used for filming. The boy told investigators he was terrified to speak up because Busfield was the director and he feared angering him.
The arrest warrant paints a picture of a predator who used his power on set to isolate his victims. Officer Marvin Brown of the Albuquerque Police Department noted in the affidavit that Busfield’s behavior fit the profile of grooming.
“He would invite the family to off-set gatherings, with his wife buying Christmas gifts to foster closeness, making [the victim] feel special and dependent,” the warrant states. “Classic grooming to erode boundaries, isolate the victim, and silence suspicions by blending abuse into normalcy.”
The document also alleges that safety protocols on the set of The Cleaning Lady were relaxed during Busfield’s tenure. It claims that parents were previously given iPads to monitor their children during filming, but that practice was reportedly discontinued after Busfield joined the production.
Busfield has not yet been taken into custody, but he is aware of the investigation. In a November 2025 interview with detectives, the actor categorically denied any inappropriate sexual contact.
According to the complaint, Busfield admitted it was “highly likely” he had tickled or picked up the children in a “playful environment” but insisted the contact was never sexual or “weird.” He reportedly offered a counter theory to police, suggesting that the accusations were motivated by “revenge” because the children were not asked to return for the show’s final season.
The Cleaning Lady aired on Fox for four seasons before concluding in 2025. It starred Élodie Yung and was produced by Warner Bros. Television.
This is not the first time these allegations have been looked into. The complaint reveals that Warner Bros. conducted its own internal investigation into the claims. However, the studio reportedly found “insufficient evidence” to corroborate the abuse at the time.
A source close to the production told The Wrap that the studio’s inquiry cleared Busfield of wrongdoing based on the available witness statements. Now that police have conducted their own probe involving medical records and forensic interviews, the conclusion is vastly different.
Warner Bros. Television issued a brief statement on Saturday morning: “We are aware of the charges and are cooperating fully with law enforcement authorities. The safety of all cast and crew is our top priority.”
Timothy Busfield is a familiar face to millions of viewers. He rose to fame in the 1980s as Elliott Weston on the drama thirtysomething, a role that won him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 1991.
He later cemented his status as a TV icon playing White House correspondent Danny Concannon on The West Wing. His resume also includes major film roles like Field of Dreams and Revenge of the Nerds. In recent years, he has pivoted largely to directing, helming episodes of This Is Us, Designated Survivor, and The Rookie.
He is married to fellow actor Melissa Gilbert, best known for Little House on the Prairie. Gilbert has not yet issued a statement regarding the charges against her husband.
What Happens Next?
With the warrant now active, Busfield is expected to surrender to authorities in New Mexico in the coming days. If he is currently out of state, extradition proceedings may be necessary to bring him back to Albuquerque to face the charges.
New Mexico takes a strict stance on crimes against children. If convicted on the counts of criminal sexual contact, Busfield could face a mandatory minimum prison sentence. The “open count” of child abuse allows prosecutors flexibility to seek additional penalties based on the severity of the evidence presented at trial.
For now, the industry is watching in shock as another powerful figure faces a reckoning. The allegations against Busfield are a grim reminder of the vulnerability of child actors and the immense power dynamics that exist on a film set.
