Actor and director Timothy Busfield is currently facing two counts of sexual abuse involving a minor in New Mexico after an arrest warrant was issued on Friday. The investigation revolves around twin boys who were actors on the TV series “The Cleaning Lady” in 2022, where Busfield served as the director. One of the boys bravely disclosed that Busfield had touched his “private areas” when he was seven years old and again at the age of eight, while they were on set.
According to an Albuquerque police affidavit, the boy expressed fear towards Busfield and felt relieved when he was off set. The “West Wing,” “Field of Dreams,” and “Thirtysomething” actor directed six episodes of “The Cleaning Lady,” which aired on Fox from 2022 to 2025.
During a phone conversation with the police in November, Busfield mentioned the possibility of having physical contact with the boys and picking them up to tickle them. However, he later claimed that he did not recall picking those specific boys up and denied overtly tickling them. The 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s office has chosen not to comment on the matter.
Warner Bros. conducted an investigation in 2025 following an anonymous complaint received by SAG-AFTRA regarding a separate incident in December 2024. The complaint alleged that Busfield had kissed a boy on the face in the hair and makeup trailer and engaged in tickling and caressing the heads of the boys. However, an outside investigator hired by Warner Bros. was unable to substantiate these claims.
Albuquerque Police Det. Marvin Brown alleged in the affidavit that Warner Bros. made it challenging to obtain information for the case. When the detective attempted to reach out to other child actors on the show for their safety, he was informed by Warner Bros. that he would need to communicate through their lawyers to speak with employees.
It was reported in the affidavit that Busfield grew closer to the boys upon joining the series, with reports indicating that he instructed his children to refer to him as “Uncle Tim.” The police first engaged with the parents and the boys in 2024 after receiving a report from their doctor, but no sexual contact was disclosed at that time.
However, in September 2025, one of the children reported to his counselor and pediatrician that Busfield had touched him inappropriately. The other brother also shared his discomfort with being touched but refrained from speaking up to avoid trouble. During his police interview, Busfield mentioned hearing from lead actress Elodie Yung that the boys’ mother sought revenge due to her sons not being brought back for the final season.
Yung declined to cooperate with the police, stating her desire not to be involved in the investigation. The arrest warrant was issued by a judge on Friday afternoon, and Busfield’s legal representative has not responded to requests for comment on the matter.
