West Wing star Timothy Busfield SURRENDERS to New Mexico cops on youngster intercourse abuse costs and says allegations towards him are ‘lies’
Actor Timothy Busfield has surrendered to law enforcement in New Mexico after an arrest warrant was issued for him on child abuse charges last week.
The Emmy award-winning actor, 68, told TMZ when he turned himself in that he will be denying charges of child abuse and criminal sexual contact with a minor.
‘I will confront these lies,’ Busfield told the outlet. ‘I did not do anything to those little boys.’
A warrant for Busfield’s arrest was issued on Friday, alleging that he inappropriately touched two child actors on the set of the TV show ‘The Cleaning Lady’, which Busfield was directing.
According to a warrant for his arrest, an investigation into Busfield was opened in November 2024 when staff at the University of New Mexico Hospital called police and reported children potentially being groomed on the studio set.
When Busfield was interviewed by police about the allegations on November 3, 2025, the arrest warrant said that his wife, Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert, listened to the phone call over speakerphone.
Busfield reportedly told investigators that the allegations against him were a revenge plot by the parents of twin 11-year-old boy actors who he didn’t invite back to the show.
According to prosecutors, one of the boys said Busfield inappropriately touched him between takes on the show, beginning when he was seven.
Actor Timothy Busfield (seen with his wife, Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert) has surrendered to law enforcement in New Mexico after an arrest warrant was issued on child sex abuse charges last week
Busfield pictured starring as character Danny Concannon on hit TV show The West Wing
When the investigation into Busfield was opened, Busfield was said to have ‘grown close to the boys’ while they were on the set of his TV show, per a criminal complaint filed last week in New Mexico.
The arrest warrant claimed that Busfield and Gilbert had a ‘relationship’ with the victims and their families outside of work.
‘They advised that they did buy the two boys Christmas gifts and were together [at] several social functions,’ read the warrant written by Albuquerque Police Officer Marvin Brown.
Brown stated Busfield ‘would invite the family to off-set gatherings, with his wife buying Christmas gifts to foster closeness.’
Busfield allegedly told the children ‘to call him Uncle Tim’, and the criminal complaint said he ‘would tickle them on the stomach and legs, despite them not liking the tickling.’
The children did not allege sexual touching at the time, but in October 2025 one of the parents reported to Child Protective Services that her child disclosed alleged sexual abuse by Busfield, the warrant said.
The child told a therapist that Busfield touched his ‘genitalia’ and ‘bottom’ while in a bedroom on the set of the TV show, according to the affidavit first reported by KTLA.
According to the affidavit, Busfield told an officer that he had ‘playful’ contact with the children on his set, but denied any wrongdoing.
Busfield has been married to Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert since 2013
According to a complaint filed in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court, the alleged abuse occurred between November 2022 and spring 2024.
At least one of the children in the case was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder following the alleged abuse, according to the complaint.
The actor has been married to Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert since 2013.
Gilbert shot to fame as a child in the 1960s, and went on to become one of the most powerful figures in Hollywood, including serving as president of the Screen Actors Guild from 2001 to 2005.
Following a stint on Dancing with the Stars in 2012, Gilbert ran for Congress in Michigan’s 8th Congressional District three years later, but after becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee she dropped out of the race, citing health issues.
The pair celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary in April 2025, and Gilbert said in a social media post at the time that their marriage was ‘perfect.’
’12 years of true partnership, love, laughter, compassion, commitment, passion, laughter, cooking, kids, grandchildren, chickens, dogs, creating homes, films, plays, television. 12 years of writing together, traveling, cuddling, delicious meals, romantic getaways, spooning, reflecting, meditating, praying,’ she wrote.
Gilbert last shared a picture with Busfield to her social media in December 2025. She later deleted her Instagram account following Busfield’s arrest warrant.
