Stoic Timothy Busfield Makes First Appearance Since Facing Child Sexual Abuse Allegations as He's Held Without Bond

Timothy Busfield appeared in court for the first time on Wednesday, January 14, while remaining in custody on child sexual abuse charges.

The West Wing actor, 68, appeared before a judge in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, after being officially charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor (child under 13) and one count of child abuse on January 13, a news outlet reported.

The director was brought before a judge wearing an orange jail jumpsuit and shackles. He is scheduled for another hearing later this month.

As OK! previously reported, the alleged incidents happened during the filming of the Fox TV drama The Cleaning Lady in Albuquerque, New Mexico, when Busfield was directing an episode. The show ran on FOX from January 2022 to June 2025.

Busfield turned himself into authories on January 13 after an arrest warrant was issued over the weekend.

Before being taken into police custody, Busfield posted a dramatic video to TMZ, pleading his innocence.

The arrest warrant issued by the Albuquerque Police Department on January 9 accused the actor of misconduct involving two 11-year-old twin boys, with one claiming the abuse began when he was just 7.

The investigation began in November 2024 after a physician at the University of New Mexico Hospital informed cops about the alleged sexual abuse.

Officer Marvin Kirk Brown issued the warrant, with the minors' parents noting that the child actors met Busfield on the set.

“It was reported that Timothy would tell his children to call him ‘Uncle Tim,’” the warrant read, adding that one of the minors reported that the Thirtysomething actor allegedly touched him inappropriately while filming The Cleaning Lady.

The documents also stated how the boys' mother told police in September 2025 that one of the victims confided in his therapist that Busfield had inappropriately touched him. Following the disclosure, the therapist diagnosed the child with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The medical professional revealed that the child started “having nightmares about the director touching him and waking up scared,” alleging the Sleepy Hollow actor “had touched and rubbed his p---- 3 or 4 times and appeared to be ashamed."

Busfield was hit with a second allegation, where he is accused of groping a 16-year-old girl while she was auditioning for a theater program in Sacramento, Calif., several years ago.

According to the filing, Busfield reportedly “kissed her and put his hands down her pants and touched her privates." Busfield is a co-founder of the Sacramento theater company and launched the organization in 1986.