SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - Timothy Busfield, known for his roles in "The West Wing" and "Field of Dreams," has been indicted by a grand jury on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child under the age of 13. The announcement was made on Friday by a New Mexico prosecutor.
The allegations involve Busfield's work as a director on the set of the TV series "The Cleaning Lady," where he worked from 2022 to 2024. The claims were initially filed in court by the police, and Busfield has denied all allegations through his defense team, who have stated he will "fight these charges at every stage."
The indictment, which allows the case to move forward toward a potential trial without a preliminary hearing, was announced by Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman via social media. In January, Busfield had voluntarily turned himself in to authorities regarding related charges and was released from jail by a judge who determined there was no prior pattern of criminal conduct involving children in Busfield's history.
While Busfield's attorney, Larry Stein, refrained from commenting directly on the sexual contact charges, he noted that the grand jury did not endorse grooming charges that had been sought by prosecutors. Prosecutors have not disclosed the specific allegations they presented to the grand jury. Stein emphasized that previous hearings had exposed significant weaknesses in the evidence against Busfield, claiming that these gaps could not be rectified by any charging decisions.
According to an investigator with the Albuquerque Police Department, an 8-year-old boy reported that Busfield had touched his private areas over the clothing, with an incident noted when the boy was 7 years old and another when he was 8. The boy's twin also reported similar contact but initially remained silent due to fears of getting into trouble. The indictment details the allegations, stating that Busfield "touched or applied force to the intimate parts" of one of the boys on multiple occasions.
During a detention hearing last month, Busfield's attorneys argued that the children initially stated in interviews that Busfield hadn’t touched them inappropriately. They alleged that the boys' parents had coached them into giving incriminating statements after the boys lost profitable roles on the show. On the other hand, Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch countered that evidence of abuse against Busfield is strong and specific, supported by medical findings and the boys' therapist. She pointed out that some witnesses expressed fear of potential retaliation and professional harm.
The prosecutors outlined a pattern of alleged grooming behavior and an abuse of power by Busfield spanning over three decades. Each charge in the indictment carries a potential penalty of six years in prison, which could be enhanced if deemed a sexual offense by prosecutors.
After Busfield's release on January 20, state District Court Judge David Murphy acknowledged the inherent dangers of the crimes Busfield is accused of but stated that the prosecution did not demonstrate that public safety would be compromised if Busfield were allowed to remain free.
Timothy Busfield is widely recognized for his performances in "The West Wing," "Field of Dreams," and "Thirtysomething." The legal proceedings are expected to continue as he prepares to contest the charges in court.
