The West Wing star Timothy Busfield is facing serious allegations of child sexual abuse after an arrest warrant was issued in New Mexico. Prosecutors claim he inappropriately touched two young boys while directing episodes of The Cleaning Lady. The 68-year-old actor has not turned himself in yet, and his camp has stayed silent.
Oh honey, the tea is scalding on this one. Timothy Busfield, the Emmy-winning actor from The West Wing and Thirtysomething, is in hot water—again. According to an arrest warrant obtained by People, the 68-year-old director faces two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and one count of child abuse. The allegations? Unlawful sexual conduct with 11-year-old twin boys, who were child actors on the Fox series The Cleaning Lady, where Busfield directed starting in 2022. One boy claims the incidents began when he was just 7.
The drama unfolded on set in Albuquerque. The boys met Busfield during filming, and he allegedly grew close, encouraging them to call him 'Uncle Tim.' Parents say tickling on stomachs and legs turned uncomfortable. After hearing rumors of Busfield being 'handsy' with women and minors, mom asked the kids—who were 11—if anyone had touched them oddly. Their response? 'You mean like Uncle Tim?' 😳
Investigation kicked off November 1, 2024, after a University of New Mexico Hospital doctor flagged potential abuse. By October 3, 2025, the mother filed a report with police and Child Protective Services, detailing disclosures of abuse from November 2022 to spring 2024. One boy's therapist diagnosed moderate PTSD and anxiety from 'inappropriate touching'—nightmares of the director rubbing his penis 3 or 4 times. The kid was terrified to speak up, fearing Busfield's wrath as the big-shot director.
Busfield told investigators it was 'highly likely' he'd tickled the boys for a 'playful environment,' but insisted everything happened in front of parents—no weird vibes. He claims the accusations stem from revenge: the boys were replaced by a younger actor for the final season, and lead actress Elodie Yung allegedly said the mom wanted payback. Warner Bros. launched an outside probe after complaints, but results aren't public. A production assistant noted the boys were often unsupervised, giving Busfield chances to be alone with them. One witness even saw him kiss a minor on the face in a hair and makeup trailer in December 2024.
The warrant paints a grim picture of grooming: Busfield and wife Melissa Gilbert built an off-set bond, gifting Christmas presents and attending social events. An officer wrote, 'Pedophiles often infiltrate families under a trusted role... classic grooming to erode boundaries.' And get this—Gilbert posted on Instagram November 15, 2025, railing against child sex abuse, reflecting on her own creepy Little House on the Prairie romance at 15: 'I WAS A CHILD.' 'Thank God my mom... were there to make sure I was safe.' Ironic timing, right? 🔥
This isn't Busfield's first brush: Back in 1994, on Little Big League, he was accused of assaulting a 17-year-old extra—settled quietly. In 1996, he sued law firm Messerli & Kramer for defamation, lost, and had to pay them $150K in defense costs, per Deseret News.
Warner Bros. Television, which produced the show (January 2022 to June 2025), issued a statement to People: 'The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors... We take all allegations seriously and have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.'
Albuquerque PD hopes Busfield turns himself in. No word from his team. So, is this a Hollywood nightmare or a twisted revenge tale? Spill more if you know.
