Timothy BusfieldThe lawyer for is speaking out after the director was charged illegal sexual conduct with two twin child actors on the set of The cleaning woman.
“This morning, Tim voluntarily turned himself in to New Mexico authorities after traveling across the country to confront these false and deeply troubling allegations,” Busfield’s civil attorney said. Stanton “Larry” Steinhe said Us Weekly in a statement on Tuesday, January 13. “He is innocent and determined to clear his name.”
The attorney stated, “As reflected in the criminal complaint, after (the alleged victim’s) son was fired from the program, the boy’s mother vowed to get ‘revenge on Timothy Busfield.’
He alleged in the statement: “What followed appears to be a calculated effort to build a case, driven by animus, not fact, despite the fact that prior investigations found no evidence of wrongdoing.”
Timothy Busfield allegedly told authorities there were no specific rules on the set of The Cleaning Lady about how adults should physically interact with child actors, an arrest warrant for the actor obtained by Us Weekly claims. The 68-year-old actor-turned-director faces multiple charges of sexual abuse of a minor after being accused (…)
Stein concluded his statement a we on Tuesday stating that “the claims being made against Tim are completely false, and we will fight to the end until the truth prevails.”
Stein’s statement came after news broke Tuesday that Busfield he surrendered to law enforcement in New Mexico after a arrest warrant it was issued amid allegations of child sexual abuse.
“I’m going to stand up to these lies. They’re horrible. They’re all lies, and I didn’t do anything to these little kids,” Busfield said in a video obtained by TMZdenying the allegations. “I’m going to fight it. I’m going to fight it with a great team, and I’m going to be exonerated. I know I am because this is all so wrong and it’s all a lie.” (Photograph by Busfield he was released a few hours later.)
An arrest warrantobtained by we, was issued by the Albuquerque Police Department on Friday, January 9, after two brothers alleged that Busfield touched them inappropriately.
Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield have been married since 2013 after having a long career in Hollywood. “Our business in Los Angeles is very difficult because it’s everywhere in this city (and) everyone is involved in it in some way,” said Gilbert, best known for playing Laura Ingalls on The Little House on the Prairie (…)
According to court documents, the alleged assault took place on the set of the television show, The cleaning woman. Busfield directed the series, which aired on Fox from 2022 to 2025, while the children were cast in the project.
In an interview with police during the investigation, Busfield denied there was anything “strange” about his interactions with the children on set, according to the criminal complaint.
In the complaint, one of the children involved said the first alleged incident of inappropriate touching occurred when the child was 7 years old.
According to the affidavit, the boy was “very afraid of Tim and was relieved when he was out of the game.”
Timothy Busfield
Frazer Harrison/Getty ImagesThe alleged victim also stated that he was “afraid to tell anyone because Tim was the manager, and he was afraid that Tim would get mad at him.”
The child’s mother reported the alleged abuse to Child Protective Services, alleging that the alleged incidents occurred between the end of 2022 and the second semester of 2024, according to the complaint. The victims were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety following the alleged events.
When asked by investigators if he ever picked up or tickled the alleged victims, Busfield allegedly said it was “very likely” he did because he created “a playful environment” on set, according to the documents.
“I don’t remember those guys,” Busfield said, according to the affidavit. “No, I don’t. I actually don’t remember, if it happened. I don’t remember openly tickling boys ever, but it wouldn’t be strange to me.”
The allegations have put the spotlight on Busfield and those close to him. The West Wing is currently married to the actor The Prairie Cottage actress Melissa Gilbert. He has not publicly commented on the Busfield scandal, but he has deleted his social networks accounts
Days before the arrest warrant was issued, Gilbert took to Instagram to share a quote that read: “Looks like you’ve confused upset with injustice.”
In the comments section, Gilbert stated that he was referring to those who “play the victim and blame others.”
“It’s about not taking responsibility for your own situation,” he added. “It’s about being a big whiny baby. I saw that quote and it hit me. I have a particularly hard time with people who play the victim. You’ve got your shit. Step up. It’s all pretty general. It’s got nothing to do with politics, it’s got to do with privilege and attitude and weakness.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Helpline for children at 1-800-422-4453.