Actor Timothy Busfield has made his first court appearance after turning himself in on criminal charges that he allegedly sexually abused two boys on the set of a TV series filmed in New Mexico, prosecutors say.
The Emmy-winning actor, who starred in Thirtysomething and The West Wing, was taken into custody in Albuquerque on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse that police allege happened on the set of Fox's crime drama The Cleaning Lady.
Busfield, 68, strenuously denied the allegations through his lawyer.
The claims being made against Tim are completely false, and we will fight this to the end until the truth prevails, the lawyer, Stanton Larry Stein, said.
Stein suggested that the allegations arose as an act of revenge after the children had been terminated from the series, which angered their mother.
During a media conference, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman indicated that Busfield made an initial court appearance on Wednesday, and a judge ordered him to remain in custody. The case is now being transferred to district court with a hearing scheduled for January 20 to decide on bail.
According to the warrant for Busfield's arrest, the boys' parents allege that Busfield groomed and sexually abused their sons while working on set for The Cleaning Lady, which Busfield both directs and executive produces.
In an affidavit supporting his arrest warrant, authorities claim the boys referred to Busfield as Uncle Tim and alleged that he would tickle them on the stomach and legs. Both boys stated they were touched inappropriately for years, according to court documents.
One of the boys alleged that the inappropriate touching began when he was 7 years old, and due to fear of Busfield's reaction, he hesitated to speak out. This alleged abuse has reportedly resulted in nightmares and bedwetting, leading to a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety.
Before his surrender, Busfield stated in a video that he was contacted regarding hiring a lawyer and traveled 2,000 miles to Albuquerque. They're all lies and I did not do anything to those little boys and I'm gonna fight it, he said.
His lawyer argued that the claims are fabricated, asserting that previous investigations found no evidence of misconduct. New allegations have also surfaced involving Busfield's alleged inappropriate behavior with a 16-year-old girl several years ago.
Warner Bros Television and Fox confirmed they are aware of the charges and will cooperate with law enforcement, prioritizing the safety of their cast and crew.
Busfield's wife, Melissa Gilbert, is reported to be supporting him and refraining from public comments during this legal process.
