

Two weeks after being released from jail, actor and director Timothy Busfield (First Kid, The West Wing) was indicted on four counts of alleged child sex abuse today, according to Variety. The indictment was confirmed by a grand jury within Bernalillo County in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
mxdwn previously reported that 68-year-old Busfield was charged with allegedly groping a minor on the set of Fox’s drama series, The Cleaning Lady, which Busfield served as a director. The then 7-year-old who appeared on the show, along with his brother, for several seasons, claims Busfield allegedly groped him multiple times. He was afraid to report the alleged incidents due to Busfield’s position on the show. The alleged victim’s brother claimed uncomfortable physical contact from Busfield, but nothing sexual in nature.
An arrest warrant was issued, and Busfield surrendered to authorities two days later on January 13. He has maintained his innocence.
“As with all criminal proceedings, Mr. Busfield is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law,” the D.A.’s office said in a statement via Variety. “District Attorney Sam Bregman emphasized that protecting children remains a top priority for his office. The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office remains committed to doing everything possible to protect children and ensure justice for victims.”
In his defense, Variety reports Busfield’s attorneys are adamant the charges are an alleged act of revenge, claiming the alleged victims’ parents are upset that their sons were released from the show.
“The Criminal Complaint was driven, not by evidence, but by the efforts of parents with a documented record of deception and financial exploitation to manufacture leverage after losing a six-figure income stream,” the defense argued via Variety.
Busfield’s civil attorney, Larry Stein, said the indictment was not surprising, but is appalled at what he called a “deeply concerning” choice by the D.A. to “proceed on a case that is fundamentally unsound and cannot be proven at trial,” according to Variety.
Since the news of his arrest broke, another alleged victim came forward, claiming Busfield allegedly kissed and allegedly forcibly touched her when she was one of his acting students. The alleged victim’s father claimed they did not report it to the police at the time, saying Busfield allegedly promised to seek therapy.
As far as public opinion, Busfield received support from his costars of the 1980s TV drama, Thirtysomething. The week of the charges being announced, NBC canceled an airing of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit in which Busfield was set to guest star.
