West Wing star Timothy Busfield SURRENDERS to New Mexico cops on child sex abuse charges and says allegations against him are ‘lies’
Actor Timothy Busfield surrendered to law enforcement after being charged with child sex crimes in New Mexico.
The Emmy-winning 68-year-old actor said this in a video: TMZ He denied the allegations when he surrendered on Tuesday.
“I will confront these lies,” Busfield told the press. ‘I didn’t do anything to those little kids.’
Busfield is accused of inappropriately touching two young children on the set of the TV series ‘Cleaning Lady’, which he directed in 2022.
An arrest warrant was issued last week for the West Wing star on charges of child abuse and sexual intercourse with a minor.
Speaking in a video, Busfield said: ‘I was ordered to come to Albuquerque and now I’m here.
‘I got a call Friday night, I had to get a lawyer, and on Saturday I bought a car and drove 2,000 miles to Albuquerque.’
Busfield called the allegations ‘horrible lies’ and vowed to fight the accusations.
Actor Timothy Busfield (seen with his wife, Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert) surrendered to law enforcement in New Mexico last week after an arrest warrant was issued on child sexual abuse charges.
Busfield plays the character Danny Concannon on the popular TV show The West Wing.
‘It’s all lies and I didn’t do anything,’ he said. I will fight with a great team and I know I will be cleared. I know I am, because it’s all so wrong and it’s all lies.’
Documents seen by the Daily Mail show Busfield is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Bernalillo County and his first hearing is scheduled for 1.30pm on Wednesday at the county jail.
An investigation into Busfield began in November 2024, when staff at the University of New Mexico Hospital called police and reported that children as young as seven were potentially being taken into care on the studio set, according to an arrest warrant.
When Busfield was questioned by police about the allegations on Nov. 3, 2025, the arrest warrant stated that his wife, Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert, was listening to the phone call on speakerphone.
Busfield reportedly told investigators that the allegations against him were a revenge plot by the boy’s parents and his twin brother because he did not invite them back to the show.
The twin sister also allegedly said Busfield would touch her during filming, but did not claim the touching was sexual.
The actor’s civil attorney, Larry Stein, claims that an actress on the TV set claimed she was told by the boys’ mother that she wanted revenge on Busfield.
Busfield allegedly told the children to “call him Uncle Tim” and said he would “tick them on their stomachs and legs even if they didn’t like being tickled,” according to the criminal complaint.
The children did not allege sexual contact at the time, but in October 2025, one of the parents notified Child Protective Services that her child had disclosed alleged sexual abuse by Busfield, the warrant said.
The boy told a therapist that Busfield touched his “genitals” and “butt” while he was in his bedroom on the set of the TV show, according to the first-reported affidavit. KTLA.
Busfield told a police officer that he had “playful” interaction with children on the set, but denied any wrongdoing, according to the affidavit. A criminal complaint filed in New Mexico last week said Busfield “became intimate with children” while on the set of the television show.
Busfield has been married to Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert since 2013.
Busfield (center) on the set of his hit show Thirtysomething
Gilbert and her husband are photographed together in fall 2025
The arrest warrant alleged that Busfield and Gilbert had a ‘relationship’ outside of work with the alleged victims and their families.
‘They said they bought Christmas gifts for two kids and they were together [at] Read the arrest warrant written by Albuquerque Police Officer Marvin Brown.
Brown stated that Busfield would “invite the family to different gatherings, buying Christmas gifts for the family to foster closeness.”
A representative for Busfield’s wife, Melissa Gilbert, told NBC: ‘The focus at this time is on supporting and caring for their very large family during this time.
‘Melissa stands by and supports her husband and will address the public at the appropriate time.’
The alleged abuse occurred between November 2022 and the spring of 2024, according to the complaint filed in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court.
At least one of the children in the case was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder following the alleged abuse, according to the complaint.
The actor has been married to Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert since 2013.
Gilbert rose to fame as a child in the 1960s and became one of the most powerful figures in Hollywood, including serving as president of the Screen Actors Guild from 2001 to 2005.
After appearing on Dancing with the Stars in 2012, Gilbert ran for Congress in Michigan’s 8th Congressional District three years later, but withdrew from the race after becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee, citing health issues.
The couple celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary in April 2025, and Gilbert said their marriage was “perfect” in a social media post at the time.
’12 years of true partnership, love, laughter, affection, commitment, passion, laughter, cooking, children, grandchildren, chickens, dogs, creating homes, movies, games, television. “12 years of writing together, traveling, hugging, delicious food, romantic getaways, using a spoon, thinking, meditating, praying,” he wrote.
Gilbert last shared a photo with Busfield on his social media in December 2025. He later deleted his Instagram account following Busfield’s arrest warrant.
