Actor Timothy Busfield made his first court appearance in New Mexico after turning himself in on criminal charges accusing him of sexually abusing two boys while working on a television production, prosecutors said.
The 68 year old Emmy winner was taken into custody in Albuquerque and faces two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. Authorities say the alleged incidents occurred on the set of Fox’s crime drama The Cleaning Lady, where Busfield serves as both a director and executive producer.
Busfield has denied all allegations through his attorney and remains in custody as the case moves forward.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said Busfield appeared in court on Wednesday and was ordered by a judge to remain jailed while the case is transferred to district court.
A hearing has been scheduled for January 20 to determine whether Busfield may be released on bail while awaiting trial.
“Our priority is to protect the rights of everyone involved,” Bregman said during a news conference, encouraging anyone with relevant information to contact law enforcement.
According to arrest documents, the parents of two boys alleged that Busfield groomed and abused the children over several years while working on set. Prosecutors said the boys referred to Busfield as “Uncle Tim” and claimed he engaged in inappropriate physical contact, including touching their stomachs and legs.
Court records state that one of the boys told investigators the alleged abuse began when he was seven years old and that he was afraid to report it because he feared Busfield would become angry. Authorities said the child later experienced nightmares, bed wetting, and was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and anxiety.
Busfield’s lawyer, Stanton “Larry” Stein, said the accusations are false and motivated by retaliation.
“The claims being made against Tim are completely false, and we will fight this to the end until the truth prevails,” Stein said.
Stein told reporters that the boys’ mother had threatened revenge after her children were removed from the series. He said an internal investigation by Warner Bros Television found no corroborating evidence of misconduct or that Busfield had ever been alone with the boys.
Before surrendering to authorities, Busfield appeared in a video published by TMZ, saying he drove more than 2,000 miles to New Mexico to turn himself in.
“They’re all lies,” Busfield said in the video. “I did not do anything to those little boys, and I’m going to fight it.”
After Busfield’s arrest warrant was issued, prosecutors said another allegation emerged involving a 16 year old girl who accused the actor of inappropriate conduct in California several years ago.
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Court documents state the alleged incident occurred at the B Street Theatre in Sacramento, which Busfield co founded, during an audition. Prosecutors said the girl’s father reported that Busfield kissed and touched the teenager and later urged the family not to report the incident to police.
Prosecutors cited the new allegation in a motion arguing that Busfield should not be released from custody, claiming it showed a broader pattern of misconduct. Busfield’s attorney said the actor denies the claim and volunteered for a polygraph test, which Stein said he passed.
Court filings also reference prior accusations against Busfield dating back to the 1990s and 2012. No convictions resulted from those earlier claims.
A spokesperson for Busfield’s wife, actor Melissa Gilbert, said she would not comment publicly while the legal process unfolds.
“She is honoring the request of Tim’s lawyers not to speak publicly,” publicist Ame Van Iden said, adding that Gilbert is focused on supporting her family.