'West Wing' Actor Timothy Busfield Accused of Child Sex Abuse as New Mexico Authorities Issue Arrest Warrant

New Mexico authorities have issued an arrest warrant for West Wing actor Timothy Busfield this week. Busfield is accused of alleged child sex abuse that happened on the set of a series that ended in 2025.

The investigation began in 2024, after authorities responded to a call from a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital. The Albuquerque Police Department initially did not pursue the case. It was reportedly reopened in September 2025 after a child told his counsellor that Busfield had allegedly touched his genitals and butt.

The arrest warrant was issued by authorities in New Mexico Friday against the actor, with an investigator from the Albuquerque Police Department filing a criminal complaint supporting the charge. The signed arrest warrant includes two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor. The investigation began in 2024 after an investigator

The parents of the victim went there at the advice of a lawyer. The Albuquerque Police Department initially did not want to pursue the case or press charges against Busfield. However, it was reopened in September 2025 when a child told his counselor that Busfield allegedly touched his genitals and butt.

Abuse Allegedly Happened on The Cleaning Lady Set

According to the criminal complaint, a child reported that Busfield, who starred in and directed the Fox series The Cleaning Lady, allegedly touched him inappropriately on set. The actor and director allegedly touched him three or four times when the child was seven to eight years old, between 2022 and the spring of 2024.

The mother reported to Child Protective Services. Since then, the child has reportedly been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. A social worker documented that the child had nightmares about Busfield touching him inappropriately and waking up scared. The child was also afraid to tell anyone, as he was the show's director and feared he would get mad. The warrant also alleges Busfield told the kids to call him 'Uncle Tim' and tickled them.

Melissa Gilbert Previously Condemned Child Sex Abuse

Busfield is known to be married to Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert, who previously spoke out against child sex abuse weeks before the arrest warrant was issued. In November 2025, Gilbert took to Instagram to talk about how she felt forced to 'fall in love' with her co-star Dean Butler on the show. Gilbert was 15 at the time.

Butler played Almanzo Wilder, the love interest for the show's star, Laura Ingalls Wilder.

'I'm actually nauseated,' Gilbert wrote in the post shared on 15 November. 'The girl on vacation in Hawaii with her family is the same girl who was expected to "fall in love with" and kiss a man on film who was several years older than she was.'

'Through the lens of today, this is shocking. I have no words other than to say, "I WAS A CHILD," "I WAS FIFTEEN" And I was the good news,' Gilbert continued, yet noted that the adults on set made sure she was 'safe.' 'I am so fortunate (Sort of). Many other young women aren't.'

Following the reports of an arrest warrant for her husband, this has led to Gilbert's comments resurfacing. Busfield reportedly spoke to authorities by phone in November 2025 and said it was 'highly likely' that there was physical contact between him and the kids on the set of the series. In the affidavit, Busfield said that he does not recall those instances of him tickling the kids and that it 'would be uncommon' for him to do so.