West Wing Actor Timothy Busfield Indicted on Child Abuse Charges

The 68-year-old actor surrendered to authorities after being accused of abusing twin boys during production of the Fox crime drama The Cleaning Lady.

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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Timothy Busfield, the U.S. actor and director known for his role in 'The West Wing,' was indicted by a New Mexico grand jury on charges of child sex abuse. Busfield surrendered to authorities on January 13 after being accused of abusing twin boys over two years of production of the Fox crime drama 'The Cleaning Lady,' when the boys were seven or eight years old. A judge later ordered Busfield to be released from jail, ruling there was insufficient evidence for pre-trial detention. However, a grand jury has now voted to indict Busfield on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child.

Why it matters

The allegations against Busfield, a well-known actor, have raised concerns about child safety on television and film sets, especially when minors are involved. The case also highlights the challenges of prosecuting high-profile individuals accused of abuse, as Busfield was initially released due to lack of evidence, before a grand jury later decided to indict him.

The details

According to the prosecutor's office, Busfield was an executive producer and director on the Fox crime drama 'The Cleaning Lady,' where the alleged abuse of the twin boys, now 11 years old, took place over a two-year period when they were 7 or 8 years old. Busfield surrendered to authorities on January 13 after the Bernalillo County District Attorney's office filed a criminal complaint against him. A judge later ruled there was insufficient evidence to hold Busfield in pre-trial detention, but a grand jury has now indicted him on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child, a third-degree felony in New Mexico.

  • Busfield surrendered to authorities on January 13, 2026.
  • The alleged abuse took place over a two-year period during the production of 'The Cleaning Lady,' when the twin boys were 7 or 8 years old.
  • The twin boys are now 11 years old.

The players

Timothy Busfield

A 68-year-old U.S. actor and director known for his role in the TV series 'The West Wing.'

Sam Bregman

The Bernalillo County District Attorney who filed the initial criminal complaint against Busfield.

Christopher Dodd

Busfield's defense lawyer.

Melissa Gilbert

Busfield's wife, an actor and former president of the Screen Actors Guild.

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What they’re saying

“The charges against me are lies, and I will be exonerated.”

— Timothy Busfield (Video recording)

What’s next

A judge will decide on Tuesday whether to allow Busfield to be released on bail as the case proceeds to trial.

The takeaway

The allegations against Busfield highlight the need for stronger safeguards and oversight to protect child actors on television and film sets, especially in cases involving high-profile individuals accused of abuse. The case also raises questions about the challenges of prosecuting such cases and ensuring justice is served.