The U.S. Marshals are assisting the Albuquerque Police in locating Timothy Busfield, reports TMZ.
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The Emmy-winning actor is known for his roles on The West Wing and Thirtysomething. He faces allegations of abusing two 11-year-old twin boys. This allegedly occurred while he worked as a director on The Cleaning Lady.
The charges include two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse.
The outlet also reports that NBC has pulled an upcoming episode of Law & Order: SVU starring Busfield. Another episode will run in its place.
An Update on Timothy Busfield
An investigation into Busfield began in 2024. A doctor at the University of New Mexico hospital reported their concerns to the police. The mother of the victims told Child Protective Services the abuse occurred between Nov. 2022 and spring 2024. The children would have been seven and eight years old.
One accuser told law enforcement that Busfield had touched him inappropriately. According to an affidavit, the incident allegedly happened on set after filming a scene.
Additionally, one child has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. According to a social worker, the child had nightmares about Busfield and woke up scared. The report also notes that there was fear of retaliation if Busfield was reported.
The actor denies the allegations. TMZ reports that the actor shared with detectives that the lead actress on The Cleaning Lady, Elodie Yung, claimed the mother of the alleged victims wanted revenge for her kids not being invited back for the show's last season.
Warner Bros., the studio behind The Cleaning Lady, conducted its own investigation. They did not find evidence to corroborate the allegations.
U.S. Marshals are typically called in to arrest fugitive criminal suspects, which explains their involvement in this case. Because Busfield may not currently be in New Mexico, the agency has been brought in, and they haven't shared a timeline for the arrest.
Busfield Played a Judge on a 'Law & Order: SVU' Episode
Busfield played Judge Warren Fels on an upcoming episode titled "Corrosive." It is unclear if the episode has been rescheduled for broadcast later this season.
Busfield's wife, actress Melissa Gilbert, deleted her Instagram account shortly after the news about her husband began making headlines.
