Timothy Busfield's Child Sex Abuse Case Takes Another Major Turn
By Afouda Bamidele on February 6, 2026 at 1:05 PM EST
Updated on February 6, 2026 at 1:30 PM EST
Timothy Busfield has been officially indicted on child sex abuse charges!
The recent update in the actor's case comes weeks after he secured his release from jail with strict conditions.
The Hollywood veteran became embroiled in the legal ordeal after he was accused of touching children on the set of "The Cleaning Lady." Timothy Busfield has vehemently denied these allegations.
Timothy Busfield Indicted On Child Sex Abuse Charges
According to new reports, Busfield has formally been indicted on child sex abuse charges in New Mexico. Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman confirmed the entertainer was slammed with multiple charges related to the alleged abuse of minors.
The list included four counts of Criminal Sexual Contact of a Child, per TMZ. The update in Busfield's case comes a month after he was arrested on child abuse and criminal sexual contact of a minor charges.
The charges stemmed from allegations accusing Busfield of inappropriately touching children on the set of "The Cleaning Lady." He allegedly committed these indecent acts multiple times between November 2022 and spring 2024.
The Entertainer Was Indicted By A Bernalillo County Grand Jury
PEOPLE shared more information about Busfield's indictment, revealing that a Bernalillo County grand jury had indicted him on four charges. In his statement, Judge Bregman explained that the charges against Busfield are all third-degree felonies.
Judge Bregman seemingly warned the public not to condemn Busfield based on his indictment on severe charges, stressing that he "is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law." Additionally, he noted the importance of protecting the children involved in the case.
The Special Victims Unit of the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office will serve as the prosecutors in Busfield's case. The district attorney initially filed a motion for pretrial detention, hoping to keep Busfield behind bars until his trial started, but they lost their plea.
The TV Personality Was Indicted Following His Release From Jail
Busfield's indictment comes weeks after The Blast confirmed that he had been released from a New Mexico jail on January 20. Larry Stein, Busfield's lawyer, addressed his client's feelings following his release in a candid interview.
According to Stein, Busfield and his wife, Melissa Gilbert, were still in shock over the allegations. He claimed they were pretty "distressed" by the situation; however, they were in "a better mood" after Busfield regained his freedom.
Stein added that they couldn't have secured Busfield's freedom without the support of multiple people. He claimed he received "unsolicited emails and calls and letters from people" volunteering to give them information about the case.
The Primetime Emmy Award Winner Wasn't Released Unconditionally
When Judge David A. Murray granted Busfield's freedom on January 20, he did so with strict conditions. First, Busfield was ordered to attend all court hearings in the case and must not have "unsupervised contact" with any minor children.
Additionally, Busfield was ordered not to have any contact with the alleged victims and their families, nor could he discuss the case with any witnesses. Surprisingly, Judge Murray did not restrict the entertainer's movement, and he could travel out of New Mexico.
Following the judge's decision to grant Busfield's freedom, his wife could not contain her emotions. Gilbert was seen crying and clasping her hands in relief while thanking God. She was part of the strong effort to secure her beau's release, writing letters to the judge for leniency.
An Audio File Seemingly Proved Timothy Busfield's Innocence
Busfield's case received a surprising twist in January, with The Blast reporting that an audio file seemingly proved his innocence. The recording was taken during the police's initial interviews with twin boys identified in court filings as VL and SL.
When an officer asked if the boys understood right from wrong, particularly that no one should touch their private areas, one of the twins revealed that no wrongdoings had occurred. "Yeah, but he doesn't touch those parts," the boy replied.
His brother echoed similar sentiments, declaring, "No, he's never touched me... never." Busfield's team highlighted the audio in their defense, arguing that the boys' statements contradicted later claims and should be re-investigated.
Busfield's troubles continued earlier this month, with NBC distancing itself from the child abuse drama. The Blast covered the story, reporting that his guest role in an episode of "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" was given to actor David Zayas.
Will Timothy Busfield be able to fight the charges?
