Star Actor Surrenders To Police Amid Child Abuse Probe

Days after New Mexico authorities issued an arrest warrant for Timothy Busfield, the 68-year-old actor and director surrendered to police Tuesday as he faces child sex abuse charges.

“Timothy Busfield has turned himself in at the Metro Detention Center,” Albuquerque Police Department spokesman Gilbert Gallegos told Fox News Digital. “He will be booked on his warrant.”

Busfield, best known for his role on Thirtysomething, released a video obtained by TMZ shortly before turning himself in, flatly denying the accusations.

“Hi everybody, it’s Tim. I’m sure most of you know, that are watching this, that I was ordered to come to Albuquerque – I’m here now,” he said. “I got the call Friday night, I had to get a lawyer. Saturday I got in the car, drove 2,000 miles to Albuquerque. I’m gonna confront these lies. They’re horrible.”

“They’re all lies and I did not do anything to those little boys and I’m gonna fight it,” Busfield continued. “I’m gonna fight it with a great team, and I’m gonna be exonerated, I know I am, because this is all so wrong and all lies.”

“So hang in there, and hopefully I’m out real soon and back to work,” he added. “I love everybody for supporting me, thank you.”

The U.S. Marshals Service had joined the search for Busfield earlier this week after an arrest warrant was issued Jan. 9.

An Albuquerque police investigator filed a criminal complaint alleging Busfield sexually abused two child actors on the set of The Cleaning Lady, a television series he directed and appeared in.

The alleged acts began when one of the children was 7 years old and continued when the child was 8, according to the warrant. Investigators said Busfield touched the child three or four times during one period and another five or six times later.

The police investigation began Nov. 1, 2024, after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital alerted authorities about possible abuse.

Two 11-year-old twins told investigators they were instructed to call Busfield Uncle Tim while working on the show. One child alleged Busfield touched him over his clothes on his genitals and bottom while alone with him in a bedroom on set. Hospital professionals later told the parents the children showed signs of being “groomed,” according to the warrant.

The boys also said Busfield would “tickle them on the stomach and legs” while on set.

One child was diagnosed with moderate PTSD and anxiety and told investigators he was “having nightmares about the director touching him and waking up scared.” The warrant says he claimed Busfield “had touched and rubbed his penis 3 or 4 times and appeared to be ashamed.”

Busfield told police the parents wanted “revenge” after their sons were replaced by younger actors for the final season of the show. When asked if he had ever picked up the children, Busfield said it was “highly likely that he would have,” explaining he wanted to keep the set playful and said the interactions happened in front of the parents.

“There would never be a weird moment about it,” Busfield told police. “I don’t really remember picking those boys up. I remember picking up the boy who followed them. I’d pick him up, and he’d be giggling, and that would sort of get him ready to act.”

Investigators also cited a witness who claimed Busfield was seen in a hair and makeup trailer where “Tim Busfield entered and kissed a minor male on the face as the minor was getting a haircut.”

“In my training and experience, pedophiles often infiltrate families under a trusted role, like Timothy, who, as a producer, exploited the hectic film sets to tickle and touch SL on his penis and buttocks, masking it as play,” an officer wrote in the warrant.

Warner Bros. Television said it is cooperating with authorities.

“The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors on our productions,” the studio said. “We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and have systems in place to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and when needed, take appropriate action. We are aware of the current charges against Mr. Busfield and have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.”

Busfield’s civil attorney, Stanton “Larry” Stein, said his client traveled across the country to surrender.

Heavily armed federal agents ram down door of Timothy Busfield’s NY home in dramatic raid after he surrendered on child sex abuse charges https://t.co/0q8vAUPqf3 pic.twitter.com/9QDSy7SEYP

— New York Post (@nypost) January 14, 2026

Stein also pointed to the parents’ alleged motive.

“As reflected in the criminal complaint, after her son was terminated from the show, the boy’s mother vowed to ‘get her revenge against Timothy Busfield.’ What followed appears to be a calculated effort to construct a case, driven by animus not fact, despite prior investigations finding no evidence of wrongdoing,” he said.

“The claims being made against Tim are completely false, and we will fight this to the end until the truth prevails,” Stein added.

He also shared a statement from Christina McGovern, an outside investigator retained by Warner Bros.

“I conducted an independent and thorough investigation of all allegations known to the Studio at the time,” McGovern said. “Warner Bros. gave me full discretion as to my investigation. Based on what was alleged, and all evidence gathered, including multiple witness statements, I found no corroborating evidence that Mr. Busfield engaged in inappropriate conduct or that he was ever alone with the twins on set.”

Busfield’s wife, actress Melissa Gilbert, has not commented publicly. Her representative said she is standing by him.

“Melissa Gilbert is not making public statements at this time. Any purported ‘statements’ circulating online — including AI-generated deepfakes of her ‘breaking her silence’ — should not be treated as coming from her,” her representative said. “She is honoring the request of Tim’s lawyers not to speak publicly while the legal process unfolds. During this period, her focus is on supporting and caring for their very large family, as they navigate this moment. Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time. We ask that their privacy be respected.”

Download the FREE Trending Politics App to get the latest news FIRST >>