A New Mexico grand jury has indicted actor Timothy Busfield on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child.
The former “The West Wing” and “Thirtysomething” star is accused of engaging in inappropriate behavior toward two young actors on the Albuquerque set of “The Cleaning Lady” between late 2022 and the spring of 2024.
The alleged victims are twins brothers, with one of the boys claiming the abuse began when he was 7 years old.
Busfield and his wife, actor Melissa Gilbert, confirmed they had a relationship with the boys and their parents outside of work, though the 68-year-old defendant has denied wrongdoing.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman announced the indictment on Friday. The development comes weeks after Busfield was arrested on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse.
It’s unclear what led to the change in charges. The DA office’s said no further information would be released at this time.
Busfield voluntarily surrendered to authorities on Jan. 13 after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was released from jail a week later after a Bernalillo County district judge determined the actor didn’t present a threat to the community.
According to Busfield’s attorneys, he suspects the boys’ mother was seeking revenge after her children were cut out the final season of “The Cleaning Lady.” They said an independent investigation launched by Warner Bros. was unable to corroborate the accusations
Prosecutors have argued the investigator failed to speak to key witnesses.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Busfield has three adult children from two previous marriages. Gilbert — whom he married in 2013 — has two adult sons from her two earlier marriages.
With News Wire Services
