{"id":417670,"date":"2026-01-16T21:00:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T21:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/417670\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T21:00:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T21:00:07","slug":"timothy-busfield-sexual-misconduct-allegations-mount-as-wife-melissa-gilbert-expresses-support-new-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/417670\/","title":{"rendered":"Timothy Busfield sexual misconduct allegations mount as wife Melissa Gilbert expresses support | New Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"

With allegations of prior sexual misconduct against him continuing to mount, Timothy Busfield received an expression of support from his wife and fellow actor, Melissa Gilbert \u2013 as he was also ordered held without bond in connection with on-set child abuse charges<\/a> in New Mexico.<\/p>\n

A statement that a representative for Gilbert, known best for her work on Little House on the Prairie, shared with media outlets said she \u201csupports her husband\u201d and was keeping \u201cher focus \u2026 on supporting and caring for their \u2026 family, as they navigate this moment\u201d.<\/p>\n

Gilbert\u2019s statement in part also requested privacy, saying she intended to honor a request from Busfield\u2019s attorneys to not \u201cspeak publicly while the legal process unfolds\u201d.<\/p>\n

Those remarks circulated as a judge presiding over an initial court appearance for Busfield on Wednesday had him held without bond until at least a hearing tentatively scheduled for 20 January. Prosecutors in Albuquerque, New Mexico<\/a>, where Busfield was charged, have asked that the Emmy winner be held in custody until his trial, though it is possible that he could be conditionally released on bond.<\/p>\n

A sworn police statement summarizing the accusations against Busfield said they involve two 11-year-old twin brothers with whom Busfield collaborated on the set of The Cleaning Lady, a TV series he directed and acted in.<\/p>\n

Identified by the initials SL and VL, the boys allege that Busfield touched them inappropriately, according to police. Police in Albuquerque \u2013 where much of The Cleaning Lady was filmed \u2013 obtained<\/a> an warrant to arrest Busfield on 9 January on two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and one of child abuse.<\/p>\n

He turned himself over to police to be jailed on Tuesday, but he provided a video statement to the entertainment outlet TMZ in which he vociferously denied the charges.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re all lies,\u201d Busfield said in the video. \u201cI did not do anything to those little boys, and I\u2019m going to fight it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite his profession of innocence, Albuquerque prosecutors and police have cited what they portray as a pattern of sexual misconduct amid his work.<\/p>\n

Court filings after Busfield\u2019s arrest recounted that a man came forward on Tuesday and accused the actor of sexually abusing his daughter while she auditioned at Sacramento\u2019s B Street Theatre, co-founded by Busfield. The documents, as reported by the Sacramento news outlet KCRA<\/a>, said the matter concluded with Busfield going to therapy and the girl\u2019s family agreeing not to take the matter to police.<\/p>\n

The B Street Theatre issued a statement to media outlets which said Busfield withdrew from being involved at the organization after \u201clegal counsel \u2026 [conducted] an internal investigation\u201d into that 2001 episode. The theater\u2019s statement said it could not elaborate because of the criminal case in New Mexico.<\/p>\n

Court documents also mentioned two other allegations against Busfield that previously appeared in the sworn police statement preceding his recent arrest.<\/p>\n

In 1994, a 17-year-old extra on the movie Little Big League claimed Busfield assaulted her after serving her alcohol. Busfield \u2013 one of Little Big League\u2019s stars \u2013 countersued for extortion and settled privately but was ordered to pay $150,000 in costs after he unsuccessfully argued that the allegations against him had been fabricated.<\/p>\n

Separately, in 2012, a 28-year-old woman alleged Busfield fondled her at a Los Angeles movie theater. Busfield asserted it was consensual, and there was neither a criminal case nor civil litigation brought.<\/p>\n

The Cleaning Lady\u2019s four-season run on Fox ended in 2025. It was produced by Warner Bros, which has said it conducted its own investigation into Busfield but could not corroborate the allegations against him.<\/p>\n

Busfield\u2019s acting credits include Revenge of the Nerds, Field of Dreams, The West Wing and Thirtysomething. His performance on Thirtysomething earned him an 1991 Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series.<\/p>\n

Gilbert and Busfield have been married since 2013. She apparently deactivated her Instagram account<\/a> as of Sunday. And her lifestyle brand, Modern Prairie, canceled a virtual question-and-answer session scheduled for Friday, with a statement reported by People saying that the decision was driven by Gilbert\u2019s need for \u201cprivacy and space\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Associated Press contributed reporting<\/p>\n