The charges stem from a criminal complaint alleging Busfield inappropriately touched twin boys on the set of the Fox series “The Cleaning Lady” in Albuquerque during a period spanning from November 2022 to spring 2024. A first court appearance was scheduled for Wednesday, and NBC separately shelved a “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” episode featuring Busfield that was set to air Thursday.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Emmy Award-winning actor Timothy Busfield turned himself in to Albuquerque police on Tuesday to face charges of criminal sexual contact of a minor stemming from allegations that he inappropriately touched two boys on the set of a television series he was directing in New Mexico. Albuquerque police spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos confirmed Busfield was booked on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse.

Busfield, known for his roles in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams,” and “Thirtysomething” — which earned him an Emmy Award for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series in 1991 — denied the allegations. His attorney Stanton Stein said Busfield traveled voluntarily from across the country to confront the charges.

“Tim voluntarily appeared before New Mexico authorities after traveling across the country to confront these false and deeply troubling allegations,” Stein said. “He is innocent and is determined to clear his name.”

A first court appearance was scheduled for Wednesday. NBC separately shelved a “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” episode featuring Busfield as a guest-starring judge that had been set to air Thursday, a network spokesperson confirmed to the Associated Press. The long-running series focuses on sex crimes.

The Charges

Albuquerque police issued an arrest warrant for Busfield on Friday. A criminal complaint filed by a police department investigator alleges the acts occurred on the set of the Fox series “The Cleaning Lady,” which was filmed in Albuquerque and aired for four seasons ending in 2025.

According to the complaint, one boy reported that Busfield allegedly touched him three or four times on private areas over his clothing when the child was 7 years old. The complaint says Busfield allegedly touched the same child five or six times on private areas on another occasion when he was 8. The boy’s twin brother also told authorities he was touched by Busfield but did not specify where, according to the complaint.

The first child was reportedly afraid to report the alleged incidents because Busfield was the director and he feared Busfield would become angry, the complaint said. The twin said he did not report anything because he feared getting in trouble.

The mother of the two boys reported to Child Protective Services that the alleged abuse occurred between November 2022 and spring 2024, according to the complaint. The police investigation began in November 2024, when an investigator responded to a call from a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque; the boys’ parents had gone to the hospital at the recommendation of a law firm, the complaint said.

According to the complaint, one of the boys has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. A social worker documented the child reporting nightmares about Busfield touching him.

Busfield’s Defense

Busfield denied the allegations when interviewed by authorities last fall as part of the investigation, according to the complaint. He suggested during that interview that the boys’ mother was seeking revenge because her children had been replaced on the series — an argument his attorney echoed Tuesday. Busfield also previously told investigators he likely would have picked up and tickled the boys, saying the set was a playful environment, according to the complaint.

In a video obtained by TMZ, Busfield said he drove approximately 2,000 miles (3,219 kilometers) to Albuquerque. “I’m going to confront these lies. They’re horrible. They’re all lies,” Busfield said.

Warner Bros. Investigation

Busfield’s attorney on Tuesday invoked the results of a private investigation by Warner Bros., the show’s producer, to assert that the allegations are false.

Authorities said the Warner Bros. investigation was unable to corroborate details of an anonymous complaint to a union workplace hotline after its private investigator “was not able to talk with anyone who would support evidence that Timothy Busfield engaged in this behavior,” according to the complaint.

Search and Arrest

The search for Busfield before he turned himself in involved the U.S. Marshals Service and extended to New York, Gallegos said. “We had the U.S. Marshals’ office looking in New York in particular, and other cities,” Gallegos said. Busfield appeared in the TMZ video with the Albuquerque skyline visible before he arrived at a metropolitan detention center.

Busfield’s wife, actor Melissa Gilbert, said through publicist Ame Van Iden that she would not speak publicly at the request of his attorneys while the legal process unfolds. “Her focus is on supporting and caring for their very large family,” Van Iden said in a statement. “Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time.”