Jan. 11 (UPI) — Police in Albuquerque, N.M., have issued an arrest warrant for West Wing actor and director Timothy Busfield on accusations of sex crimes involving two boys.
The allegations came from the parents of twin 11-year-old boys who shared a role in The Cleaning Lady, a crime series directed by Busfield. Fox aired the drama, starring Élodie Yung and Oliver Hudson, for four seasons from 2022 through 2025.
Busfield faces two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. If convicted of the crimes, he faces up to three years in prison.
An arrest warrant obtained by Deadline said an investigation into Busfield began in 2024 after a doctor from University of New Mexico Hospital contacted the Albuquerque Police Department. The boys’ father had contacted the hospital after learning of the alleged abuse beginning when the actors were 7 years old.
An officer spoke with the two boys, “who did not disclose any sexual contact” at the time.
“However, both boys advised that Timothy Busfield, whom they referred to as ‘Uncle Tim,’ would tickle them on the stomach and legs,” the warranted, dated Friday, said. “Neither boy cared for the tickling.”
The warrant said after interviewing the boys, authorities determined the case didn’t meet the criteria for abuse.
However, the boys’ mother contacted police again in September 2025 after one of the boys told his counselor that Busfield “touched his penis and bottom.”
Busfield denied the allegations in his interview with police, the warrant says. Busfield said Yung had told him that the boys’ mother was upset their role was recast for the final season because of their age. The mother allegedly said “she wanted revenge, and [was] going to get [her] revenge on Tim Busfield for not bringing her kids back for the final season.”
In the warrant, Warner Bros., which produced The Cleaning Lady, said it conducted its own investigation of the allegations and didn’t find evidence to support them. In a statement to ABC News, the company said it was cooperating with law enforcement.
“We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and have systems in place to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and when needed, take appropriate action,” a spokesperson said.
Busfield previously appeared on the TV series Thirtysomething, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and For Life as well as the films Quiz Show, Revenge of the Nerds and Field of Dreams.
