A heavily armed team of U.S. Marshals stormed the upstate New York home of actor and director Timothy Busfield this week in a dramatic escalation of a child s-x abuse investigation, authorities said. Around 10 members of the U.S. Marshals Service New York Regional Fugitive Task Force rammed open the front door of Busfield’s secluded Highland Lake residence in the Catskill Mountains less than an hour after the actor had surrendered to police more than 2,000 miles away in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
US Marshals searched the main house of the Timothy Busfield propety, an RV parked on the property, and an outhouse, but found no one inside by the time the operation concluded. The West Wing and Field of Dreams actor is married to Little House on the Prairie star, Melissa Gilbert.
Melissa Gilbert condemned child sex abuse weeks before husband Timothy Busfield’s shocking arrest warrant https://t.co/JtlfZZBMCT pic.twitter.com/lwT5Cj5vqy
— New York Post (@nypost) January 10, 2026
Timothy Busfield, 68, also known for his role on Thirtysomething, had turned himself in to New Mexico authorities on Tuesday to face a warrant issued last Friday on multiple felony counts accusing him of criminal s-x–l contact with minors and child abuse.
The surrender of Timothy Busfield followed days of intensified efforts by law enforcement involving both the Albuquerque Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. A New Mexico judge signed an arrest warrant charging Busfield with two counts of criminal s-x–l contact of a minor and one count of child abuse, based on allegations involving 11-year-old twin boys he met while working as a director on the television series The Cleaning Lady, authorities said.
In a video released shortly after his surrender, Timothy Busfield denied the accusations, calling them “all lies” and insisting he had done nothing wrong. “I’m gonna confront these lies. They’re horrible,” he said, adding that he planned to fight the charges and believed he would be exonerated. Busfield said he had learned of the warrant earlier in the week, hired legal counsel, and drove across the country to turn himself in voluntarily.
Timothy Busfield surrenders to law enforcement. He denies everything. No surprise. https://t.co/4q8gR35Np9
— Cheri B (@CJB4221) January 14, 2026
According to the criminal complaint, the alleged child abuse occurred on the set of the show in Albuquerque between November 2022 and the spring of 2024. Investigators allege that Timothy Busfield inappropriately touched the children on multiple occasions, beginning when one of the boys was as young as seven and continuing into the following years.
The investigation was launched after the boys’ mother reported concerns to Child Protective Services in late 2025, prompting law enforcement to open a formal inquiry. Court records indicate a physician at the University of New Mexico Hospital initially raised concerns in late 2024 after identifying symptoms consistent with abuse in one of the children.
Production companies connected to The Cleaning Lady said they were aware of the investigation and were cooperating fully with authorities. An internal studio review into earlier complaints reportedly failed to uncover corroborating evidence, though prosecutors maintain the criminal case against Timothy Busfield is supported by medical evaluations and witness statements.
Timothy Busfield’s attorney issued a statement asserting his client’s innocence and suggesting the allegations may be retaliatory in nature. The defense has claimed the children’s mother acted out of frustration after her sons were not brought back for a subsequent season of the show, a claim prosecutors dispute.
The arrest has drawn national attention due to Busfield’s decades-long Hollywood career, which included an Emmy Award win and a reputation as a respected actor and director. In the wake of the allegations, a guest appearance Timothy Busfield had filmed on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit was pulled from broadcast.
Prosecutors are seeking to keep Busfield in custody as the case proceeds. If convicted under New Mexico law, he could face a lengthy prison sentence. Authorities said the alleged victims have been diagnosed with anxiety and post-traumatic stress symptoms related to the alleged abuse.
The case remains under investigation as Timothy Busfield awaits further court proceedings, with law enforcement emphasizing the seriousness of the charges and the importance of allowing the judicial process to run its course.
