Veteran Hollywood actor and director Timothy Busfield is facing serious criminal charges in New Mexico related to the alleged sexual abuse of children, according to court documents and police reports.
Details of the Allegations and Charges
Timothy Busfield, 68, has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one open count of child abuse. The charges, reported by ABC affiliate KOAT, stem from a police investigation that began in late 2024.
The court filings state the charges for sexual contact involve a child under the age of 13. Albuquerque police detailed that one child alleged the Field of Dreams and Revenge of the Nerds actor touched them inappropriately when they were just seven years old. The alleged incidents are connected to the time Busfield was directing the TV drama series The Cleaning Lady.
Timeline of the Investigation
The case first came to light in November 2024 when staff at the University of New Mexico Hospital alerted authorities, suspecting the children had been groomed. According to an affidavit, two boys told a police officer at the hospital that "Uncle Tim" would tickle them on the stomach and legs. Busfield had allegedly instructed the children to call him by that familiar name.
The affidavit further states that the children's mother asked her then eleven-year-old sons if anyone had ever touched them in a way that made them uncomfortable. The children reportedly responded by asking, "You mean like Uncle Tim?" Initially, police determined the evidence did not meet the threshold for charges as no explicit sexual contact was disclosed.
The investigation was re-opened nearly a year later, in October 2025, when Child Protective Services received a new alert. A parent came forward stating her children alleged Busfield sexually abused them over a period from November 2022 to spring 2024.
Specific Allegations and Busfield's Response
Court documents reveal one child told a therapist that the director touched both his "genitalia" and "bottom" while in a bedroom on the set of The Cleaning Lady.
When interviewed by police, Busfield characterized his contact with the children as merely "playful" and occurring during the production of the show. He suggested the allegations were fabricated by parents seeking "revenge" because their children did not return for the series' final season.
It is currently unclear if Busfield, who is married to actress Melissa Gilbert, has been arraigned on the arrest warrant. The case continues to develop as legal proceedings move forward in New Mexico.
