Timothy Busfield Officially Faces Charges in Child Sex Abuse Case

Timothy Busfield is now officially facing serious legal troubles, having been indicted on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor. The charges were announced by the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office following a grand jury's decision in New Mexico.

At 68 years old, the actor known for his roles in "Thirtysomething" and "Field of Dreams" finds himself at the center of a troubling case. District Attorney Sam Bregman emphasized the presumption of innocence, stating, “As with all criminal proceedings, Mr. Busfield is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.” He confirmed that the case will be handled by the special victims unit and noted that further details would not be disclosed at this time.

Busfield's civil attorney, Larry Stein, expressed that the indictment was anticipated. “As the saying goes, a grand jury will indict a ham sandwich,” he remarked, adding that the prosecution appears to lack substantial evidence. Stein criticized the decision to move forward with what he described as a fundamentally unsound case, asserting that the evidence presented during the detention hearing revealed significant weaknesses.

“This prosecution seems driven by something other than the facts or the law,” Stein stated, indicating that Busfield intends to contest the charges vigorously. He expressed confidence in the actor's ability to challenge the state's case in court, where he believes evidence will prevail over mere allegations.

This indictment follows Busfield's arrest on January 13, where he faced initial charges of child abuse and criminal sexual contact involving two young actors from the Fox series “The Cleaning Lady.” Allegations suggest that inappropriate conduct began in 2022 when the twin boys were just seven years old.

During questioning, Busfield reportedly acknowledged it was “highly likely” he had physical contact with the boys. After surrendering to authorities, he released a video denying all allegations, asserting, “I did not do anything to those little boys,” and labeling the accusations as “all lies.” He vowed to fight the charges, claiming he would be exonerated.

Following his arrest, Judge David Murphy granted Busfield release on his own recognizance pending trial. His wife, Melissa Gilbert, has publicly supported him throughout this ordeal. A representative stated that her focus remains on their family during this challenging time and that she would address the public when appropriate.

Gilbert’s representative did not respond immediately to inquiries regarding Busfield's indictment. Meanwhile, several former co-stars from "Thirtysomething," including Ken Olin and Patricia Wettig, have come forward to support him, writing letters attesting to his character.

In light of these developments, Busfield's talent agency has severed ties with him, and he has been replaced in an upcoming episode of “Law & Order: SVU.” Additionally, he has been edited out of the forthcoming Amazon MGM romantic comedy “You Deserve Each Other.”