Actor Timothy Busfield has made his first court appearance after turning himself in on criminal charges that he allegedly sexually abused two boys on the set of a TV series filmed in New Mexico, prosecutors say.
The Emmy-winning actor, who starred in 'Thirtysomething' and 'The West Wing,' was taken into custody in Albuquerque on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse that police allege happened on the set of Fox's crime drama 'The Cleaning Lady.'
Busfield, 68, strenuously denied the allegations through his lawyer. The claims being made against Tim are completely false, and we will fight this to the end until the truth prevails, the lawyer, Stanton Larry Stein, said.
Stein stated that the accusations stem from a desire for revenge after the children were removed from the series, which angered their mother. During a media conference, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman confirmed that Busfield would remain in custody while the case transfers to district court with a hearing scheduled for January 20.
In the warrant for Busfield's arrest, prosecutors detailed how the boys alleged that Busfield had groomed and abused them on set. They claimed he would tickle them and that inappropriate touching had occurred over several years. Court documents indicated that one boy had suffered from PTSD and anxiety due to the alleged encounters.
Before turning himself in, Busfield addressed the allegations in a video, claiming, They're all lies and I did not do anything to those little boys and I'm gonna fight it. He indicates that previous investigations found no evidence of wrongdoing.
A new accusation has also surfaced, alleging that Busfield kissed and groped a 16-year-old girl at a theater he co-founded, intensifying the scrutiny surrounding him. Warner Bros and Fox, the producers of 'The Cleaning Lady,' stated their awareness of the charges and commitment to the safety of their cast and crew.
As this case unfolds, Busfield's family and lawyer continue to support him, emphasizing the importance of respecting their privacy during this difficult period.
