> At a Glance
> – Timothy Busfield, Emmy-winning actor-director, faces an arrest warrant for two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor
> – A child actor on Fox’s The Cleaning Lady alleges repeated inappropriate touching from age 7 to 8, between November 2022 and spring 2024
> – Production company Warner Bros. conducted its own probe but could not corroborate the claims
> – Why it matters: The case adds to Hollywood’s scrutiny over on-set safety for minors and the legal exposure of high-profile talent
Timothy Busfield, 64, known for The West Wing and Thirtysomething, is wanted in Albuquerque after a judge signed an arrest warrant alleging multiple instances of sexual contact with a child on the local set of The Cleaning Lady.
Allegations in Court Documents
The complaint, filed by an Albuquerque Police investigator, says the boy reported Busfield touched him three or four times when he was 7 and another five or six times at age 8. Production dates align with the alleged abuse window of November 2022-spring 2024.
- Initial incident: Child was 7 and feared retaliation because Busfield “was the director”
- Subsequent incidents: Occurred the following year while the boy visited the set
- Emotional impact: Diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety; social-worker notes describe nightmares about Busfield
Investigation Timeline
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Alleged abuse starts | Nov 2022 |
| Alleged abuse ends | Spring 2024 |
| Hospital referral | Nov 2024 |
| Warrant issued | Friday |
The probe began after the child’s parents, acting on legal counsel, took him to University of New Mexico Hospital; a doctor alerted police. Busfield’s attorney and agent did not respond to email requests for comment Friday, and actor Melissa Gilbert’s publicist had no immediate reply.
Studio Response
Warner Bros., which produced the four-season series concluding in 2025, opened an internal investigation after the complaint surfaced. Studio representatives told police they “could not corroborate” the allegations, according to the filing.
Key Takeaways
- Warrant charges two felony counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor
- Alleged victim was a child actor/extra on set; abuse reportedly happened during production lulls
- If extradited and convicted, Busfield faces registration as a sex offender under New Mexico law
The warrant remains active as Albuquerque police coordinate with California authorities to locate Busfield.
