Actor Timothy Busfield Indicted on Child Sex Abuse Charges, Pleads Not Guilty
Actor Timothy Busfield was indicted by a grand jury Friday on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child, stemming from allegations involving twin boys he worked with during his time on the FOX series The Cleaning Lady. Busfield has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
His attorney, Stanton “Larry” Stein, responded sharply to the indictment, calling it “expected but still disappointing.” In a statement, Stein said, “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.” He claimed that a prior detention hearing had already “exposed fatal weaknesses” in the case.
“This prosecution appears driven by something other than the facts or the law,” Stein added. “Mr. Busfield will fight these charges at every stage and looks forward to testing the State’s case in open court.”
Prosecutors allege Busfield began sexually abusing the twin boys when they were 7 years old. The children were born in 2014 and had worked with Busfield on The Cleaning Lady, which aired from 2022 to 2025. Busfield directed several episodes and served as an executive producer on the show.
The investigation began in November 2024, after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital reported suspicions of sexual abuse and grooming. While charges were not initially filed, the case was reopened in September 2025 when one of the children allegedly disclosed details of the abuse to a medical professional.
Busfield has faced prior accusations in 1994 and 2012, but neither case led to formal charges. Before turning himself in last month, Busfield released a video proclaiming his innocence.
His wife, Little House on the Prairie actress Melissa Gilbert, issued a public statement in January thanking supporters for their “love, patience, and support” during what she called an “extraordinarily difficult time” for their family.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman confirmed that Busfield is presumed innocent until proven guilty. “This case will proceed through the judicial process and is expected to move forward to trial,” Bregman stated.