TIMOTHY BUSFIELD, “West Wing” and “Field of Dreams” actor Timothy Busfield has been indicted by a New Mexico grand jury on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child under the age of 13, according to an announcement made Friday by a state prosecutor.
The indictment is connected to allegations stemming from Busfield’s work as a director on the television series The Cleaning Lady between 2022 and 2024. Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman confirmed the indictment in a post shared on social media.
Busfield has denied the allegations. His defense attorney stated Friday that he intends to contest the charges through the legal process.
Busfield previously turned himself in to authorities in January on related charges filed by police. He was later released from jail after a judge determined there was no demonstrated pattern of criminal conduct or prior similar allegations involving children in his past. The grand jury indictment now allows the case to proceed toward a potential trial without a preliminary hearing to review evidence.
Larry Stein, an attorney representing Busfield, said the grand jury declined to endorse separate grooming charges sought by prosecutors. Prosecutors declined to comment on which specific allegations were presented to the grand jury.
In a statement, Stein said a prior detention hearing had already revealed significant weaknesses in the state’s evidence.
“Mr. Busfield will fight these charges at every stage and looks forward to testing the State’s case in open court,” Stein said.
According to the initial criminal complaint filed by the Albuquerque Police Department, a boy told investigators that Busfield touched his private areas over his clothing when the child was 7 years old and again when he was 8. The complaint also states that the boy’s twin reported similar contact but said he initially did not disclose it because he did not want to get in trouble.
The indictment, filed Friday in state District Court, reiterates allegations that Busfield “touched or applied force to the intimate parts” of one of the boys on multiple occasions.
During a detention hearing last month, Busfield’s attorneys pointed out that the children initially told police during interviews that Busfield had not touched them inappropriately. Defense attorneys later alleged that the children’s parents coached them toward incriminating statements after the boys lost paid roles on the show.
Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch said prosecutors consider the evidence strong and specific, citing medical findings and statements from the boys’ therapist. She also said witnesses expressed fear of retaliation or professional consequences.
Prosecutors have alleged a pattern of grooming behavior and abuse of authority. Each count in the indictment carries a possible penalty of up to six years in prison, with potential sentence enhancements due to the nature of the alleged offenses.
When Busfield was released on January 20, District Court Judge David Murphy said prosecutors had not demonstrated that public safety would be compromised by his release, despite the serious nature of the accusations.
Busfield is widely known for his roles in The West Wing, Field of Dreams, and Thirtysomething.
