‘West Wing’ Actor Timothy Busfield Indicted on Child Sex Offence Charges

Actor Timothy Busfield, best known for his roles in The West Wing and Thirtysomething, has been indicted on child sex offence charges, accused of inappropriate contact with a young boy on the set of a television series he was directing and producing.

 

A grand jury in New Mexico returned a four-count indictment on Friday, more than two weeks after a state court judge described the evidence previously presented by prosecutors as “neutral” and ordered Busfield’s release from pretrial detention.

 

Busfield, 68, surrendered to authorities in Albuquerque last month after being charged through a criminal complaint. He has consistently denied all allegations, describing them as “lies”.

 

According to an affidavit filed with the original complaint, prosecutors alleged that Busfield improperly touched two young cast members — twin boys — during the filming of the Fox television drama The Cleaning Lady, which was shot in Albuquerque.

 

The twins, now aged 11, told investigators that the alleged incidents occurred over a two-year period when they were aged seven and eight, during breaks in production. One of the boys reported multiple instances in which Busfield touched his private areas over his clothing, while his brother also alleged inappropriate contact but provided fewer details.

The grand jury indictment, which replaces the original complaint, includes four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child, classified as a third-degree felony under New Mexico law. The charges relate to allegations involving only one of the brothers.

 

The indictment does not include a general child abuse charge, which had featured in the earlier complaint. The original filing listed two counts of criminal sexual contact, compared with four in the indictment.

 

Busfield, an executive producer on The Cleaning Lady, began directing episodes towards the end of the show’s second season in 2022. In a videotaped statement released before his arrest, he denied the allegations, stating: “I did not do anything to those little boys.”

 

During a court hearing last month, defence attorney Christopher Dodd described the boys’ parents as “scam artists” seeking “revenge” after their sons were replaced on the show. He also claimed the children initially denied being sexually abused when first questioned by law enforcement.

 

Busfield is scheduled to be arraigned on February 16, when he is expected to enter a plea.

 

He is best known for portraying a White House reporter in NBC’s The West Wing (1999–2006) and an advertising executive in ABC’s 1980s drama Thirtysomething. His film credits include Field of Dreams (1989). Busfield is married to actor Melissa Gilbert, a former president of the Screen Actors Guild.

 

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