Melissa Gilbert is publicly supporting her husband, actor and director Timothy Busfield, as he confronts serious child sex abuse charges.
Busfield, 68, known for roles on The West Wing and other TV projects, turned himself in to the Albuquerque Police Department on Tuesday, Jan. 13 — four days after authorities issued a warrant for his arrest.
He now faces two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. The allegations center on twin 11‑year‑old boys, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.
Melissa Gilbert’s Team Addresses Rumors, AI Deepfakes
Shortly after Busfield released a video denying the charges, Melissa Gilbert’s representative, Ame Van Iden, issued a statement on the actress’ behalf addressing misinformation circulating online.
“Melissa Gilbert is not making public statements at this time,” the statement began. “Any purported ‘statements’ circulating online — including AI‑generated deepfakes of her ‘breaking her silence’ — should not be treated as coming from her.”
It continued: “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.”
Timothy Busfield Speaks Out, Denies All Allegations
In the video obtained by TMZ, Busfield directly refuted the accusations, calling them “lies” and vowing to clear his name.
“Hi everybody, it's Tim,” he began. “I'm sure most of you know, that are watching this, that I was ordered to come to Albuquerque – I'm here now. I got the call Friday night, I had to get a lawyer. Saturday, I got in the car and drove 2,000 miles to Albuquerque. I'm gonna confront these lies. They're horrible.”
He continued: “They're all lies and I did not do anything to those little boys and I'm gonna fight it. 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. I love everybody for supporting me, thank you.”
U.S. Marshals Help Locate Busfield After Arrest Warrant Issued
On Jan. 12 — one day before Busfield turned himself in — PEOPLE confirmed that the U.S. Marshals Service joined the effort to locate and arrest the actor after the arrest warrant was issued on Jan. 9.
According to the warrant, Officer Marvin Brown alleged that the twin boys, whose identities have been kept confidential, were the subjects of sex crimes involving Busfield. One of the minors reportedly told authorities the abuse began when he was just seven years old.
How the Boys Allegedly Met Busfield
The warrant claims the parents of the twins first encountered Busfield after he came on board as a director on the FOX series The Cleaning Lady during its second season, which aired in 2022.
According to the document, Busfield “grew closer” to the children — so much so that he allegedly encouraged them to call him “‘Uncle Tim.’”
Their parents also told Officer Brown that they had become aware of past allegations against Busfield that involved both women and minors.
In questioning, the mother asked her sons, “if anyone had ever touched them in a manner that made them feel uncomfortable. The children allegedly responded by asking, ‘You mean like Uncle Tim?’”
At the parents’ attorney’s advice, the children were taken to UNMH (University of New Mexico Hospital), where professionals suggested the boys “were groomed,” per the warrant.
At that time, though, the boys reportedly did not disclose any sexual contact, saying only that Busfield “would tickle them on the stomach and legs.” Authorities determined the case did not yet meet acceptance criteria.
New Disclosures to Therapist Prompt Further Action
The warrant states that on Sept. 2 and Sept. 22, 2025, one of the boys told his therapist that Busfield had touched him inappropriately.
When one of the victims was 10, his therapist diagnosed him with moderate post‑traumatic stress disorder and anxiety following allegations of “inappropriate touching.”
The therapist also said the child began “having nightmares about the director touching him and waking up scared,” and claimed Busfield “had touched and rubbed his penis 3 or 4 times and appeared to be ashamed,” according to the warrant.
The child allegedly also suffered from bed‑wetting and other behavioral issues.
Busfield’s Version of Events, Production Insights
In the warrant, Busfield reportedly told police that the boys’ parents were upset because their sons had been replaced by a younger actor who auditioned for the show. He also claimed that an actress told him the mother of the alleged victims “wanted revenge.”
Officer Brown’s affidavit said after speaking with several production personnel: “I believe Timothy had the opportunity to be alone with SL while he was lying in the bed on the TV set.”
The internal investigation conducted by Warner Bros. reportedly included a claim from someone who said they witnessed an encounter in the Hair and Make‑Up trailer, where Busfield “entered and kissed a minor male on the face as the minor was getting a haircut” in December 2024.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.