New Mexico authorities have accused Emmy-winning actor Timothy Busfield, recognized for sequence “The West Wing” and “Thirtysomething,” of kid intercourse abuse.
A choose on Friday issued an arrest warrant for the 68-year-old actor on two counts of legal sexual contact of a minor and a single rely of kid abuse. The arrest warrant affidavit, reviewed by The Instances on Sunday, accuses Busfield of inappropriately touching two baby actors, who’re brothers, throughout his tenure on the Fox crime drama “The Cleansing Woman.”
“The well being and security of our solid and crew is all the time our high precedence, particularly the security of minors on our productions,” Fox and Warner Bros. Tv mentioned in a press release shared Sunday. “We take all allegations of misconduct very severely and have methods in place to promptly and totally examine, and when wanted, take applicable motion. … We’re conscious of the present expenses in opposition to Mr. Busfield and have been and can proceed to cooperate with regulation enforcement.”
Busfield, who was an actor, producer and director for “The Cleansing Woman,” allegedly sexually assaulted of one of many younger actors a number of instances throughout his tenure. In accordance with the affidavit, one baby actor mentioned Busfield first touched his “‘personal areas’” a number of instances on set when he was 7 years previous. The actor mentioned that when he was 8 years previous, Busfield touched him inappropriately once more a number of instances. He was “afraid to inform anybody as a result of Tim was the Director, and he feared Tim would get mad at him,” the affidavit mentioned.
The second baby actor mentioned that Busfield “began touching them for the primary two years” of his time on “The Cleansing Woman,” which filmed in Albuquerque, in line with the grievance. The investigator mentioned each kids mentioned they didn’t converse out about their alleged encounters with Busfield out of worry or concern for him.
The actors’ mom, per the grievance, reported the alleged abuse to Baby Protecting Companies in October 2025, claiming that Busfield sexually abused her kids from November 2022 to spring 2024. Police started investigating the alleged abuse in November 2024 after receiving a request from a health care provider on the College of New Mexico Hospital.
In accordance with the affidavit, the investigation additionally included interviews with the kids’s therapists and docs. One of many baby actors, who disclosed the alleged abuse by Busfield to his therapist, has points with bed-wetting “together with different habits points,” was recognized with PTSD and nervousness and has suffered nightmares “concerning the director touching him,” in line with the grievance.
The investigator additionally spoke to quite a few solid and crew members of “The Cleansing Woman,” which was canceled in June after 4 seasons. The affidavit particulars the investigator’s conversations with manufacturing assistants, the studio instructor and Busfield.
Busfield, married to actor Melissa Gilbert, instructed the investigator that “Cleansing Woman” producer Warner Bros. Tv notified him within the spring of 2025 of an investigation relating to complaints “about him from the boys.” When requested whether or not he had any bodily contact with the 2 baby actors, Busfield “mentioned it was extremely doubtless that he would have,” the grievance mentioned. He recommended to the investigator that the boys’ mom may need sought “revenge” on the director for “not bringing her youngsters again for the ultimate season,” in line with the grievance.
Although Busfield confirmed the identities of the younger actors to the investigator in his interview, he allegedly mentioned later, “ ‘I don’t keep in mind these boys’ ” and “ ‘I don’t keep in mind overtly tickling the boys ever, nevertheless it wouldn’t be unusual for me.’ ”
The grievance additionally particulars Warner Bros.’ investigation into Busfield’s alleged habits. The studio began its investigation after receiving an nameless tip in February 2025 from the SAG-AFTRA hotline relating to a December 2024 incident. Busfield allegedly entered the hair and make-up trailer and “kissed a minor male on the face because the minor was getting a haircut.” The grievance additional alleged “there are footage of Mr. Busfield, ‘tickling and caressing the top and physique of minor boys.’ ”
Neither Fox or Warner Bros. instantly responded to a request for touch upon Sunday, however a spokesperson for the latter instructed the New York Instances it’s “conscious of the present expenses in opposition to Mr. Busfield and have been and can proceed to cooperate with regulation enforcement.”
Busfield obtained essential approval for his portrayal of Elliot Weston within the ABC drama “Thirtysomething” within the late Eighties and early ‘90s. He additionally appeared in “Subject of Desires,” “Little Large League,” “The Byrds of Paradise” and different titles. He’s maybe greatest recognized for his recurring function in “The West Wing” as Danny Concannon, a White Home correspondent who strikes up a relationship with Press Secretary C.J. Clegg, performed by Allison Janney.
Along with tv and movie, Busfield is a stage actor and director. In 1991, Busfield and his brother Buck Busfield created the B Avenue Theatre, a nonprofit theater in Sacramento that first started as a touring theater group for youngsters. He additionally pitched for baseball group the Sacramento Smokeys and was inducted into the Sacramento Baseball Corridor of Fame in 2024.
Previous to the allegations from his time on “The Cleansing Woman,” Busfield was accused in 1994 of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old actor who appeared on “Little Large League.” He denied these claims and sued his accuser for defamation. The case led to a settlement, with a choose ordering Busfield to pay the lady $150,000.
