Timothy Busfield sexual assault case new update: Actor 'kissed', touched 16-year-old girl inappropriately in 2001 in a California theatre company, reveals internal investigation

A new layer of allegations has surfaced in the ongoing legal saga surrounding actor and director Timothy Busfield, with court filings revealing a separate claim from an alleged incident dating back about 25 years. The update comes as Busfield remains in custody in New Mexico, facing criminal charges of sexual abuse involving minors.

The prosecution’s pretrial detention motion, obtained by People, states that on January 13, law enforcement received a report from a parent alleging that Busfield had sexually abused his then-16-year-old daughter several years ago at B Street Theatre in Sacramento, California. “While auditioning for [Busfield] at B Street Theatre, the 16-year-old reported that [Busfield] kissed her and put his hands down her pants and touched her privates,” the motion reads.

The motion says that Busfield allegedly “begged the family to not report to law enforcement if he received therapy,” and that the father, identified as a therapist, initially agreed that was the best course of action at the time.

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Theatre’s 2001 Investigation Acknowledged

In response to the resurfaced claim, B Street Theatre, which Busfield co-founded in 1986, confirmed it was aware of a report concerning the actor from approximately 25 years ago. The theatre said it retained legal counsel at the time to conduct an internal investigation, and that Busfield has not had any role in the organisation since 2001. The statement made clear that he is not involved in current operations, leadership or programming.

“Although he is listed as an emeritus board member,” the theatre continued, “he has not participated in theatre governance or attended a board meeting since that time,” as per the report in People.

The theatre also reiterated its long-standing mission to provide a safe, creative, and inclusive environment for artists, students, families and audiences. As the allegation is now part of an active law enforcement investigation, the organisation said it could not provide further details.

Current Charges

Busfield, 68, surrendered to Albuquerque police on January 13, 2026, after an arrest warrant was issued on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse connected with the alleged abuse of 11-year-old twin boys whom he met while working as a director on the television series The Cleaning Lady. Prosecutors are seeking to keep him detained pending trial.

In his own statements, Busfield has denied all allegations, calling them “false” and asserting his intention to fight the charges. He has maintained his innocence in video remarks made prior to his surrender, and his legal team has described the claims as deeply troubling.

Previous Legal and Alleged Incidents

This is not the first serious allegation in Busfield’s legal history. According to public records, he was previously accused in 1994 of sexual assault by a 17-year-old extra from a 1993 production; that case did not result in criminal charges and was settled in civil court, with Busfield denying wrongdoing at the time.

The current multi-count criminal case began after a referral from a University of New Mexico Hospital doctor in late 2024, prompting a police investigation that culminated in the 2026 arrest warrant. In addition to the 16-year-old girl’s claim and the allegations involving the twin boys, defence attorneys and prosecutors are now addressing whether Busfield’s historical conduct should factor into pretrial detention decisions.