A warrant has reportedly been issued in New Mexico for actor and director Timothy Busfield, with the thirtysomething and West Wing performer facing charges on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. The allegations, per People, stem from Busfield’s time on Fox’s now-canceled crime drama The Cleaning Lady, where he served as an executive producer and periodic episode director during its third and fourth seasons. The accusations have been levied by the family of two now-11-year-old boys, who told parents and mental health professionals that Busfield had touched them inappropriately when they were working on the series at the ages of 7 and 8.
The boys’ mother reportedly filed a police report in October of 2025, telling Child Protective Services that “her children both disclosed that there was sexual abuse by Timothy from around November 2022 to Spring 2024.” Quotes from the warrant state that Busfield had befriended the family during his time as a producer and director on the show, including spending time with them outside of filming, and states that the parents apparently became worried after hearing allegations that the actor had been “handsy” on past sets. (Busfield was accused of sexual assault in 1994, by a 17-year-old extra he’d appeared with in Little Big League, eventually settling the suit.) When the parents asked the children if they’d ever been touched in a way that made them feel uncomfortable on the set of the show, they allegedly responded “You mean like Uncle Tim?” One of the children, who was diagnosed with moderate post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, eventually told a therapist that Busfield “had touched and rubbed his penis 3 or 4 times.” The police warrant alleges that Busfield “exploited the hectic film sets to tickle and touch [the child] on his penis and buttocks, masking it as play.”
The warrant also quotes police interviews with Busfield, who told investigators that Warner Bros. Television, producer on The Cleaning Lady, had launched a third-party investigation into the allegations. In the interviews, Busfield reportedly acknowledged that it was “highly likely” he had picked up or tickled the children on the set, in the interest of maintaining “a playful environment,” and that he had a relationship with the family outside of work. The warrant also states that Busfield told police that he had been told the family “wanted revenge” after the children’s part on the series was re-cast.
Busfield, also known for roles in films like Field Of Dreams and as a regular on the TV directing circuit, has so far neither commented on the charges, or reportedly been detained. Warner Bros. Television has issued a statement in response to the news, saying, “The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors on our productions. We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and have systems in place to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and when needed, take appropriate action… [We] have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.”
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