Veteran Hollywood actor Timothy Busfield has been ordered to remain in custody without bail after being arrested over allegations involving the sexual abuse of minors.
The 68-year-old, best known for his roles in Thirtysomething and The West Wing, voluntarily surrendered to authorities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Wednesday. He is facing two counts of criminal sexual contact involving a minor and one count of child abuse.
Court filings indicate that the allegations are linked to incidents said to have taken place on the set of the Fox crime drama The Cleaning Lady. According to prosecutors, the parents of two boys accused Busfield of grooming and sexually abusing their children over several years.
The alleged victims, who reportedly referred to the actor as “Uncle Tim,” claimed the inappropriate behaviour began with tickling on their stomachs and legs before escalating to touching their private areas. One of the boys alleged that the abuse started when he was just seven years old.
An affidavit submitted by the prosecution described the emotional toll on the children, noting that one child now suffers from nightmares, bedwetting, and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety. The boy reportedly said he was “too scared” to come forward earlier.
In a separate allegation detailed in another court document, Busfield is accused of kissing and groping a 16-year-old girl “several years ago” at the B-Street Theatre in California. Prosecutors cited this accusation alongside the New Mexico charges, arguing that the actor should be detained due to a “documented pattern of sexual misconduct, abuse of authority and grooming behaviour.”
Busfield has denied all allegations through his lawyer, Stanton Stein. Stein described the New Mexico case as a “calculated effort,” claiming it was driven by revenge after the mother of one of the boys allegedly vowed to “get her revenge” when her son was dismissed from the show. He also referenced a previous Warner Bros. investigation that was closed due to a lack of corroborating evidence.
Addressing the California theatre claim, Stein said Busfield had taken and passed a polygraph test related to that allegation.
The actor has previously faced similar accusations, with two women separately accusing him of sexual assault in the 1990s and again in 2012.
Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman confirmed that Busfield appeared in court on Wednesday, where a judge ordered him to remain behind bars. A bail hearing has been scheduled for January 20.
Warner Bros. Television and Fox both released statements saying they are aware of the allegations and will cooperate fully with law enforcement as investigations continue.
