Emmy-winning actor and director Timothy Busfield is the subject of a fugitive search led by US authorities, days after a warrant was issued for his arrest on serious child sexual abuse allegations in New Mexico.
The Allegations and Arrest Warrant
New Mexico authorities secured an arrest warrant for Busfield last Friday, accusing him of three criminal counts: two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and one count of child abuse. According to a sworn police affidavit, the allegations stem from two 11-year-old twin brothers, identified by the initials SL and VL, whom Busfield met on the set of the Fox television series The Cleaning Lady.
The affidavit states that the boys allege Busfield touched them inappropriately. One of the twins, SL, reportedly claimed the actor masked the touching "as play" on multiple occasions. The document notes that SL was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, suffering nightmares about "the director touching him".
Police began their investigation in November 2024 after a doctor at the University of New Mexico hospital contacted authorities. The children's mother reported that the alleged abuse occurred between November 2022 and spring 2024.
Nationwide Manhunt and Previous Accusations
As of Tuesday, Busfield remained at large. The Albuquerque police department confirmed that its officers are working with the US Marshals Service, the federal agency specialising in fugitive apprehension, to locate and arrest him. No timeline for his capture has been provided.
The arrest warrant authorised by Albuquerque police officer Marvin Kirk Brown references at least two previous public sexual assault accusations against Busfield. In 1994, a 17-year-old extra on the film Little Big League accused him of serving her alcohol while underage and assaulting her. Busfield countersued for extortion; the case was settled privately.
Separately, in 2012, a 28-year-old woman alleged Busfield fondled her in a Los Angeles cinema. Prosecutors declined to file charges after Busfield claimed the encounter was consensual.
Industry Fallout and Personal Life
The allegations have prompted immediate repercussions within the entertainment industry. NBC has shelved a scheduled episode of Law & Order: SVU that was set to air on Thursday and featured Busfield in a guest role as a judge.
According to the police affidavit, Busfield gave a statement to investigators via speakerphone, with his wife, actor Melissa Gilbert, listening in. During the call, Busfield allegedly suggested the children's mother sought "revenge" for her sons being brought back to the show, a claim he attributed to the series' lead actor, Elodie Yung. He denied remembering "overtly tickling the boys ever," but conceded it "wouldn't be uncommon" given the playful set environment.
Warner Bros, which produced The Cleaning Lady, conducted its own investigation but could not corroborate the allegations. The show ended its four-season run on Fox in 2025. Gilbert has since deactivated her Instagram account.
Busfield, best known for roles in The West Wing, Field of Dreams, and the series Thirtysomething—for which he won a 1991 Emmy Award—is now the focus of an intensifying nationwide search.
