Albuquerque authorities have issued an arrest warrant for actor and director Timothy Busfield following allegations of sexual abuse involving minors. Court records indicate Busfield has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse, linked to his work on the television series The Cleaning Lady.
According to an affidavit by Albuquerque police officer Marvin Brown, the investigation involves claims made by two boys who were working on the show while Busfield was directing. The affidavit details allegations that the misconduct occurred on set.
One of the children told investigators that Busfield first touched him when he was seven years old and described a second incident at age eight. The child stated that Busfield touched him on his “‘poop’ and ‘pee’ area over his clothing.”
Authorities were first alerted to the situation in 2024 when a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital reported potential sexual abuse to the police. Officers spoke with the children’s parents, who confirmed that their sons had been working on The Cleaning Lady. Busfield, newly directing the series at the time, had reportedly asked the children to call him “Uncle Tim.”
The affidavit notes that when the parents heard “multiple rumors that Timothy had been ‘handsy’ with women,” they asked their children, who were then 11, “if anyone had ever touched them in a manner that made them uncomfortable.” The children reportedly responded, “You mean like Uncle Tim?”
Initial investigations did not immediately meet the criteria for further action. The affidavit states, “Officer Osborn contacted Detective Michael Brown with the Crimes Against Children Unit and determined that the case did not mee their acceptance criteria at this time,” after the children did not disclose sexual contact in early interviews.
Later, Officer Brown spoke with Busfield by phone, asking “if he ever had any physical contact with these boys and if he ever picked them up and tickled them.” The affidavit records, “Timothy said it was highly likely that he would have.”
Busfield later clarified his statement, saying, “I don’t really remember picking those boys up. Uh, 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. … I don’t remember those boys. No, I don’t, I don’t actually, I don’t remember it, it, if it happened, I don’t remember overtly tickling the boys ever, but it wouldn’t be uncommon for me.”
Busfield also told police that Warner Bros. had conducted its own internal review following an anonymous complaint received by SAG-AFTRA about a separate alleged incident in December 2024. The affidavit states: “According to the anonymous complainant, who claimed 10 have witnessed the incident in the Hair and Make-Up trailer, executive producer/director Tim Busfield entered and kissed a minor male on the face as the minor was getting a haircut.” It adds, “The anonymous complainant further alleged that there are pictures of Mr. Busfield, ‘tickling and caressing the head and body of minor boys.'”
