Timothy Busfield faces new sexual abuse allegation
- - Timothy Busfield faces new sexual abuse allegation
Brendan Morrow, USA TODAYJanuary 15, 2026 at 6:51 AM
0
Timothy Busfield is facing another sexual abuse allegation.
A motion for pretrial detention filed on Jan. 14 reveals that an alleged victim's father, Colin Swift, told law enforcement on Jan. 13 that Busfield sexually abused his daughter "several years ago" in California.
"While auditioning for [Busfield] at B Street Theatre, the 16-year-old reported that [Busfield] kissed her and put his hands down her pants and touched her privates," says the motion, viewed by USA TODAY.
The motion adds that Busfield allegedly "begged the family to not report to law enforcement if he received therapy," and Swift, "a therapist himself," thought "at the time that was the best thing to do."
Timothy Busfield attends the New York premiere of ABC's "For Life" on Feb. 5, 2020, in New York City.
The motion was first reported by People magazine.
The development comes after the "West Wing" actor, 68, was recently charged with child sex abuse. New Mexico authorities issued an arrest warrant on Friday, Jan. 9.
Melissa Gilbert 'supports' husband Timothy Busfield amid child sex abuse charges
Busfield was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse after an Albuquerque Police Department investigator filed a criminal complaint for a case involving two minors who were part of the TV series "The Cleaning Lady." Busfield served as a director and producer on the show.
announced that she will support her husband, "West Wing" actor Timothy Busfield, amid alleged child sex abuse claims against him, in a statement provided to People magazine and Us Weekly. The couple married in 2013.See them in pictures together through the years, beginning here at the opening night party for "Medea" at the BAM Harvey Theater on Jan. 30, 2020, in New York City.
" style=padding-bottom:56%>"Little House on the Prairie" actor Melissa Gilbert announced that she will support her husband, "West Wing" actor Timothy Busfield, amid alleged child sex abuse claims against him, in a statement provided to People magazine and Us Weekly. The couple married in 2013.See them in pictures together through the years, beginning here at the opening night party for "Medea" at the BAM Harvey Theater on Jan. 30, 2020, in New York City.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/5n0dztkwggAGxD_04INoCw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/265940eb0a62bef557838157a8f03172 class=caas-img data-headline="See actors Timothy Busfield and Melissa Gilbert together in photos" data-caption="
"Little House on the Prairie" actor Melissa Gilbert announced that she will support her husband, "West Wing" actor Timothy Busfield, amid alleged child sex abuse claims against him, in a statement provided to People magazine and Us Weekly. The couple married in 2013.See them in pictures together through the years, beginning here at the opening night party for "Medea" at the BAM Harvey Theater on Jan. 30, 2020, in New York City.
">"Little House on the Prairie" actor Melissa Gilbert announced that she will support her husband, "West Wing" actor Timothy Busfield, amid alleged child sex abuse claims against him, in a statement provided to People magazine and Us Weekly. The couple married in 2013.See them in pictures together through the years, beginning here at the opening night party for "Medea" at the BAM Harvey Theater on Jan. 30, 2020, in New York City.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/5n0dztkwggAGxD_04INoCw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/265940eb0a62bef557838157a8f03172 class=caas-img>Gilbert and Busfield attend the 62nd Monte Carlo TV Festival on June 20, 2023, in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/5dOnEmVnkm5zYt8cVYKlMQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/b5d2c52cffe054b527538785790195a1 class=caas-img data-headline="See actors Timothy Busfield and Melissa Gilbert together in photos" data-caption="
Gilbert and Busfield attend the 62nd Monte Carlo TV Festival on June 20, 2023, in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.
">Gilbert and Busfield attend the 62nd Monte Carlo TV Festival on June 20, 2023, in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/5dOnEmVnkm5zYt8cVYKlMQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/b5d2c52cffe054b527538785790195a1 class=caas-img>Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield attend the Nymphes D'Or award ceremony during the 62nd Monte Carlo TV Festival on June 20, 2023, in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/CdFlxO_SuvQEqGyboLULVw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/163becab46d642d3bc9699bcdb7771d3 class=caas-img data-headline="See actors Timothy Busfield and Melissa Gilbert together in photos" data-caption="
Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield attend the Nymphes D'Or award ceremony during the 62nd Monte Carlo TV Festival on June 20, 2023, in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.
">Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield attend the Nymphes D'Or award ceremony during the 62nd Monte Carlo TV Festival on June 20, 2023, in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/CdFlxO_SuvQEqGyboLULVw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/163becab46d642d3bc9699bcdb7771d3 class=caas-img>Gilbert and Busfield attend "The Butcher Boy" opening night at Irish Repertory Theatre on Aug. 1, 2022, in New York City.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Q9LOvi40VTQAhpgq9jeWzQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNzgx/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/b7949e5f001939b040b6cdcf84ba6a67 class=caas-img data-headline="See actors Timothy Busfield and Melissa Gilbert together in photos" data-caption="
Gilbert and Busfield attend "The Butcher Boy" opening night at Irish Repertory Theatre on Aug. 1, 2022, in New York City.
">Gilbert and Busfield attend "The Butcher Boy" opening night at Irish Repertory Theatre on Aug. 1, 2022, in New York City.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Q9LOvi40VTQAhpgq9jeWzQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNzgx/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/b7949e5f001939b040b6cdcf84ba6a67 class=caas-img>
1 / 4See actors Timothy Busfield and Melissa Gilbert together in photos
"Little House on the Prairie" actor Melissa Gilbert announced that she will support her husband, "West Wing" actor Timothy Busfield, amid alleged child sex abuse claims against him, in a statement provided to People magazine and Us Weekly. The couple married in 2013.See them in pictures together through the years, beginning here at the opening night party for "Medea" at the BAM Harvey Theater on Jan. 30, 2020, in New York City.
On Tuesday, Busfield surrendered to authorities, according to TMZ, which obtained footage of the actor speaking at his lawyer's office and denying the allegations.
Actor Timothy Busfield faces child sex abuse charges in New Mexico
"I'm [going to] confront these lies. They're horrible," he said. "They're all lies, and I did not do anything to those little boys, and I'm [going to] fight it. … So, hang in there, and hopefully I'm out real soon."
Melissa Gilbert speaks out on Timothy Busfield allegations
The pretrial detention motion on Wednesday accused Busfield of engaging in a "sustained pattern of predatory conduct" and said he poses a "serious and ongoing danger not only to the named victims, but to any child placed within his proximity."
Busfield has been married to actress Melissa Gilbert since 2013. A representative for Gilbert told People magazine and Us Weekly that she "stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time."
Contributing: Clare Mulroy, Edward Segarra and Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Timothy Busfield new sexual abuse allegation emerges
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
