Former The West Wing actor Timothy Busfield has been formally indicted by a New Mexico grand jury on four felony counts stemming from allegations of illegal contact with child actors.
The decision, announced today (February 6) by the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office, accuses the 68-year-old actor and director of intimately touching two minors while serving as a director on the Fox television series The Cleaning Lady.
Highlights
- Timothy Busfield has been indicted on four felony counts of inappropriate contact with minors.
- Prosecutors say the incidents took place over multiple months on the set of The Cleaning Lady.
- Busfield denies all charges, calling them "lies," and claims the case is driven by revenge.
Prosecutors allege the conduct occurred over an extended period, spanning from November 2022 through the spring of 2024.
Timothy Busfield has been formally indicted on four counts of illegal contact with children
Image credits: Sam Wasson/Getty Images
According to the criminal complaint, one of the alleged victims told a forensic child interviewer that Busfield touched his “private areas” on approximately six separate occasions on set when he was seven years old.
The child further claimed that Busfield touched him again when he was eight years old, stating that the inappropriate acts happened an additional “three or four times.”
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The boy’s twin brother also disclosed to authorities that he had been touched by Busfield.
While he did not specify where the contact occurred, the complaint states he told investigators he remained silent at the time because he “didn’t want to get in trouble.”
Image credits: WFSB 3
The charges were handed down less than a month after Busfield was arrested on two counts of criminal contact of a minor and one count of child ab*se.
He was taken into custody after a warrant was issued for his arrest in New Mexico, at which point he turned himself in and was booked into jail.
Busfield appeared in the Second District Judicial Court at the Bernalillo County Courthouse in Albuquerque on January 20, 2026, as the case formally moved into its next phase.
The investigation began after one of the alleged victims disclosed inappropriate touching during a therapy session
The Bernalillo County District Attorney confirmed the prosecution will be handled by the office’s Special Victims Unit. District Attorney Sam Bregman said his office is committed to pursuing the case aggressively.
“We will do everything possible to protect children and ensure justice for victims,” Bregman said in a statement.
Image credits: CBS News
According to court filings, the investigation began after one of the children disclosed inappropriate touching during a therapy session, the records of which were later obtained by authorities as part of the criminal probe.
Busfield, on the other hand, has forcefully denied the allegations. In a video shared before he surrendered to authorities, the actor described the accusations as fabricated.
“I’m going to confront these lies,” Busfield said. “They’re horrible. They’re all lies, and I did not do anything to those little boys, and I’m going to fight it.”
Image credits: CBS News
However, during Busfield’s January 20 court hearing, Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch described the evidence against him as “strong and specific.”
“The boys’ allegations are supported by medical findings and by their therapist,” Brandenburg-Koch told the court. “Their accounts were specific and not exaggerated.”
She also stated that witnesses involved in the case had expressed fear of retaliation and professional consequences.
Busfield’s defense has framed the accusations as a revenge plot after the children were removed from the show
Image credits: Sam Wasson/Getty Images
The defense has pushed back hard on the prosecution’s claims.
Busfield’s attorneys noted that during initial police interviews, the children reportedly said the actor did not touch them inappropriately. They have accused the boys’ parents of coaching their children into making incriminating statements as part of a revenge plot.
Defense attorneys said the accusations are motivated by the twins being removed from the show, allegedly losing lucrative roles as a result.
Image credits: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Alan Caudillo, the director of photography on The Cleaning Lady, testified that children on set were never left alone with individuals. He also stated that parents were the ones who encouraged physical affection, including hugs, between children and adults during filming.
Busfield’s legal team has also submitted multiple letters attesting to his character, and said he passed an independent polygraph test.
Busfield’s career has spanned decades across film, television, and directing, and is best known for his role as Danny Concannon on The West Wing, as well as for appearances in Field of Dreams and Thirtysomething.
Prosecutors have indicated the case is expected to proceed to trial.
"He is toast." Netizens shared their thoughts on the decision on social media
