Timothy Busfield is an Emmy-winning actor who is best known for The West Wing, Thirtysomething, and Field of Dreams. But on Tuesday, he turned himself in to New Mexico authorities. Two children have accused Busfield of s**ual abuse, which his legal team keeps denying. Still, the case shocked the industry as it has now landed the veteran actor in jail without bail.
According to jail records, the accused surrendered to police and was then booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque around 2:30 p.m. An arrest warrant had been issued for Busfield last Friday, and authorities couldn’t locate him until the U.S. Marshals Service joined the Albuquerque Police Department in the search.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman has confirmed that Busfield is facing two counts of criminal s**ual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. His office wants to extend the detention while the case proceeds.
According to court documents obtained by KOAT, the investigation began in November 2024 when an officer was dispatched to the University of New Mexico Hospital after a doctor called police. Details: https://t.co/JU9LPxMjZh pic.twitter.com/svv8i1oDQ2
— KTLA (@KTLA) January 9, 2026
The complaint against Busfield was filed earlier this month by the parents of the two boys. They allege that the 68-year-old actor touched their children inappropriately on multiple occasions while working on the Fox series The Cleaning Lady. One of the children told police he was first touched at age 7. The alleged abuse is said to have occurred between 2022 and 2024.
Meanwhile, Busfield’s attorney, Larry Stein, insists that his client was not trying to evade arrest. Apparently, the actor had asked authorities to drop the warrant so that he could turn himself in. That option was declined, Stein says.
In February 2025, Warner Bros Studios had hired Solomon Law to review complaints made against Busfield. Christina McGovern was reviewing the investigation and said that, at the time, she found no evidence to confirm the allegations against the actor.
McGovern said:
“Based on (…) all evidence gathered, including multiple witness statements, I found no corroborating evidence that Mr. Busfield engaged in inappropriate conduct or that he was ever alone with the twins on set.”
Busfield’s wife, Melissa Gilbert, is also an actor by profession. Her representative, Ame Van Iden, said Gilbert is supporting her husband right now, and their family will address the public later. Gilbert has now deleted her Instagram account, too.
Melissa Gilbert Bought ‘Christmas Gifts’ for Husband Timothy Busfield’s Alleged Child Victims, Arrest Warrant States! pic.twitter.com/JnwstjGzD5
— Shelley (@ProudArmymom66) January 11, 2026
We must also remember that it will be State authorities who will be handling the allegations against Busfield. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, most child s**ual abuse cases are prosecuted under state law unless they’ve taken place on federal land. Federal statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 2244 cover abusive s**ual contact, but only apply in specific jurisdictions.
But yes, convictions can still carry severe penalties within states.
