Decoding the case of Timothy Busfield: The actor held without bond in New Mexico child sex abuse case

Emmy Award-winning actor Timothy Busfield was ordered held without bond at his first court appearance Wednesday, a day after turning himself in to face charges of child sex abuse stemming from allegations that he inappropriately touched a minor on the set of a TV series he was directing in New Mexico.

Busfield appeared remotely via a video link from jail, where he was booked Tuesday. Whether he remains in jail will be the subject of a detention hearing that will be scheduled within five business days.

Arrest warrant issued against the actor

Albuquerque police issued a warrant for his arrest last week on 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,” which was filmed in the city.

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Busfield, who is married to actor Melissa Gilbert and is known for appearances in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams” and “Thirtysomething,” has vowed to fight the charges. In a video shared before turning himself in, Busfield called the allegations lies.

How did the actor react during the proceedings?

During Wednesday’s brief court appearance, Busfield stood silent and expressionless, dressed in orange prison clothes, while a defense attorney spoke on his behalf.

Prosecutors are seeking to keep Busfield in custody pending trial. They filed a motion early Wednesday pointing to 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 have expressed fear regarding retaliation and professional harm.

Defense attorney Larry Stein issues statement

Defense attorney Larry Stein said Busfield submitted to an independent polygraph test within the last couple of days. There was “no deception — (he) passed the polygraph test,” Stein said by phone Wednesday.

“We plan on responding in detail to establish that he should not be detained” as the case proceeds, Stein said.

New Mexico is among a few states that allow polygraph evidence in criminal cases, said Laurie Levenson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and a former federal prosecutor. But a judge would have final say over whether it can be used, she said, and there are strict requirements for admission.

“It may not be a test that qualifies,” Levenson said of the polygraph cited by Busfield’s attorneys. “But it’s something that helps the defense maybe both in the court of public opinion and maybe in approaching law enforcement and the prosecutors with taking another look at the case.”

The detention motion from prosecutors states that research and experience show that offenders are uniquely positioned to evade accountability and circumvent safeguards designed to protect children when they wield authority, status or influence.

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

Prosecutors also took issue with Busfield disseminating a video to the media outlet TMZ on Tuesday, suggesting he was prioritizing “personal narrative control and public relations” over compliance with the court process.

Details of the criminal complaint

According to the criminal complaint, an investigator with the police department says the child reported that he was 7 years old when Busfield touched him multiple times on private areas over his clothing. Busfield allegedly touched him on another occasion when he was 8, the complaint said.

The complaint also says the child was reportedly afraid to tell anyone because Busfield was the director and he feared he would get mad at him.

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

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

In an interview with police last fall, Busfield denied the allegations and suggested that the boys’ mother was seeking revenge for her children being replaced on the series. The argument was echoed by Busfield’s attorney 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 had gone there at the recommendation of a law firm, the complaint said.

Busfield’s attorney said an independent investigation by Warner Bros. was unable to corroborate allegations of inappropriate behavior by Busfield. But prosecutors in their filing argued that the investigator failed to talk to key witnesses.