Actor Timothy Busfield is facing a new allegation of groping a 16-year-old girl during an audition, as prosecutors seek to keep him jailed without bail on existing child sex abuse charges. The fresh claim emerged amid his detention in Albuquerque, New Mexico, related to incidents on the set of Fox's 'The Cleaning Lady.' Busfield denies all accusations and has passed a polygraph test.
Prosecutors disclosed the additional sexual misconduct allegation against Timothy Busfield on January 14, 2026, during efforts to hold him without bail pending trial. According to a court filing, a man reported on January 13 that Busfield groped a 16-year-old girl several years ago while she auditioned at the B Street Theatre in Sacramento, California. The filing states: “While auditioning for the defendant at B Street Theatre, the 16-year-old reported that defendant kissed her and put his hands down her pants and touched her privates.” It adds that Busfield allegedly begged the family not to report to law enforcement if he received therapy.
Busfield, 68, is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, facing three charges of sexual abuse involving a 7-year-old boy who was an actor on “The Cleaning Lady,” a Fox series that aired from 2022 to 2025. He directed six episodes of the show. An arrest warrant was issued on January 9, 2026, based on the boy's account of Busfield touching his “private areas” on a bedroom set in Albuquerque. Busfield surrendered to authorities on January 13 and appeared in court via Zoom on January 14, where he was informed of a hearing on the no-bail motion within five days.
Prosecutors argue Busfield exhibits “a sustained pattern of predatory conduct,” citing prior sexual misconduct accusations in 1994 and 2012 that did not lead to charges. His civil attorney, Larry Stein, maintains the allegations are “completely false.” Stein noted: “As a voluntary step, he submitted to an independent polygraph examination regarding those allegations and passed.”
The case also involves scrutiny of Warner Bros. Television, the show's producer. Prosecutors claim the studio delayed an internal investigation and made cooperation difficult, with employees fearing retaliation. A Warner Bros. spokesperson countered: “The Studio cooperated by expediting its processes to share the report of its third-party investigation... The Studio has a clear non-retaliation policy.” No casting or release details for future projects were mentioned.
