Federal authorities are stepping in to help Albuquerque police track down Timothy Busfield, accused of sexually abusing underage actors on the set of 'The Cleaning Lady.' An arrest warrant has been issued, but Busfield remains at large. Meanwhile, NBC's 'Law & Order: SVU' has yanked an upcoming episode featuring the actor.
Oh honey, the tea is scalding on this one. According to TMZ, the U.S. Marshals Service is now teaming up with the Albuquerque Police Department to locate Timothy Busfield and bring him into custody over serious child sex abuse allegations. A spokesperson for APD confirmed to TMZ that they're working on it, but as of January 12, 2026, Busfield isn't in custody, and his whereabouts are a total mystery—no timeline for an arrest either. 😳
As previously reported, the investigation kicked off in November 2024 after accusations that Busfield, while directing episodes of 'The Cleaning Lady,' sexually abused two 11-year-old twin boys who were child actors on the show. One of the minors claims the abuse started when he was just 7. An arrest warrant for unlawful sexual conduct was issued last Friday.
During a police interview, Busfield pushed back, telling detectives that the show's lead actress, Élodie Yung, suggested the boys' mother was out for revenge because her kids weren't asked back for the final season. Messy, right? But remember, Busfield hasn't been convicted—these are allegations still under investigation.
Adding to the drama, Warner Bros. Television, which produced the former Fox series, dropped a statement responding to the claims (though details weren't spilled in the reports). And poor Melissa Gilbert, Busfield's wife, has gone radio silent by deactivating her Instagram amid the fallout. Sources say she was even on speakerphone during her husband's chat with authorities. 💔
On top of that, 'Law & Order: SVU' just pulled an episode set to air this Thursday, January 15, where Busfield was guest-starring, per Deadline. Instead, they'll fast-track the next one. Talk about bad timing—or is it damage control? With feds on the case, will we see Busfield in cuffs soon, or is this Hollywood scandal just heating up?