A New Mexico grand jury has indicted actor and director Timothy Busfield on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child. Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman announced the indictment on Friday via a social media post. The charges stem from allegations of misconduct during Busfield's time directing the TV series "The Cleaning Lady".
Busfield, known for his roles in "The West Wing," "Field of Dreams," and "Thirtysomething", has vehemently denied the allegations. An arrest warrant was initially issued in January following a criminal complaint filed by an investigator with the Albuquerque Police Department. The complaint stated that a child reported Busfield touched him inappropriately on multiple occasions on the set of "The Cleaning Lady" when he was seven and eight years old. The boy also expressed that he was afraid to report the alleged abuse, fearing Busfield would become angry with him. The alleged incidents occurred between November 2022 and Spring 2024.
According to the criminal complaint, the child's twin brother also told authorities that Busfield touched him, but did not specify how. He also stated he didn't immediately report the incident because he feared getting in trouble. The children's mother reported the alleged abuse to Child Protective Services in October 2025, claiming the abuse occurred between November 2022 and Spring 2024.
Busfield turned himself in to authorities in January and was later released from jail. At the time, a judge found no pattern of criminal conduct or similar allegations involving children in Busfield's past. Following his arrest in January, Busfield released a video via TMZ, insisting the allegations were "all lies". "I did not do anything to those little boys, and I'm going to fight it," Busfield stated.
Busfield's attorney, Stanton "Larry" Stein, issued a statement to CBS News, asserting that the indictment was not unexpected and that Busfield would fight the charges. Stein stated, "What is deeply concerning is that the District Attorney is choosing to proceed on a case that is fundamentally unsound and cannot be proven at trial. This prosecution appears driven by something other than the facts or the law".
The Bernalillo County District Attorney's office stated the case is expected to move forward to trial and will be prosecuted by the office's Special Victims Unit. District Attorney Sam Bregman emphasized the protection of children remains a top priority for his office.
Warner Bros. Television, the producer of "The Cleaning Lady," stated they conducted their own investigation into the allegations but were unable to corroborate them. A representative for Warner Bros. Television stated, "The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors on our productions. We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and have systems in place to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and when needed, take appropriate action".
"The Cleaning Lady," where the alleged misconduct occurred, aired on Fox for four seasons, concluding in 2025. Busfield directed six episodes of the series from 2022 to 2025 and executive produced 14 episodes.
In the wake of the initial allegations, Innovative Artists dropped Busfield as a client.
Prior to the current allegations, Busfield faced accusations of sexual misconduct in the past. In 1994, he was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old actor. Busfield denied these claims and countersued for defamation. The case was settled privately. In 2012, another woman alleged Busfield fondled her at a movie theatre, which Busfield claimed was consensual. No charges were filed.