Albuquerque, January 16, 2026 — Emmy-winning actor Timothy Busfield, celebrated for his roles in “The West Wing” and “Thirtysomething,” has won a temporary reprieve in a child sex abuse case, as a New Mexico judge agreed to release him on his own recognizance while he awaits trial.
Judge Allows Release Pending Trial in Busfield Abuse Case
The actor, accused of sexually abusing two child actors, will be monitored but allowed to travel.
- A New Mexico judge ruled to release Timothy Busfield on his own recognizance.
- The decision came despite the judge acknowledging the allegations are “inherently dangerous.”
- Busfield is barred from contacting alleged victims and consuming alcohol or drugs.
- His wife, Melissa Gilbert, was visibly emotional following the hearing.
New Mexico District Court Judge David A. Murphy announced the decision Tuesday, acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations but stating it was “difficult for the court to put too much weight into the allegations as they’ve not been vetted by the judicial system.” Busfield, 68, faces charges stemming from accusations of sexually abusing two child actors on the set of the Fox drama “The Cleaning Lady.”
The judge cited letters from Busfield’s friends and family, supporting affidavits, and “the lack of a pattern involving children in this case” as factors in his decision. “I don’t find that there’s been sufficient presentation that this defendant may commit new crimes pending trial,” Murphy stated. “There’s not evidence of a pattern of criminal conduct. There are no similar allegations involving children in his past. There’s no evidence of noncompliance with prior court orders.”
While released, Busfield will be supervised by a pretrial services officer in Albuquerque and must report to them regularly. He is prohibited from possessing firearms or weapons and from consuming alcohol or drugs. Contact with the alleged victims and their families is also forbidden, as is discussing the case with potential witnesses.
Busfield surrendered to authorities last week after a warrant for his arrest was issued. He had been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque on two felony counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse.
An affidavit filed earlier this month accuses Busfield of inappropriately touching two brothers, who were both 7 and 8 years old at the time, during his work as a director, actor, and producer on “The Cleaning Lady.” The affidavit details allegations that Busfield touched one child’s “private areas” multiple times on set. During a police interview, Busfield reportedly suggested the boys’ mother may have been seeking “revenge” for him not recasting the children for the show’s final season.
Prior to his surrender, Busfield vehemently denied the accusations. “They’re all lies, and I did not do anything to those little boys,” he said in a video published last week. He also expressed confidence in his eventual exoneration, stating he intends to “fight” the charges.
Tuesday’s hearing included statements from Bernalillo County Deputy Dist. Atty. Savannah Brandenburg-Koch, Busfield’s defense attorney Amber Fayerberg, and testimony from “Cleaning Lady” cinematographer Alan Caudillo. Brandenburg-Koch argued against Busfield’s release, referencing previous allegations of assault against two women.
Fayerberg countered with audio clips from initial police interviews with the child actors, in which they reportedly did not allege inappropriate touching. “This was not a failure to disclose,” Fayerberg argued. “This was an express denial.”
Fayerberg also highlighted the legal issues faced by the child actors’ parents, including the father, Ronald Rodis’, 2017 guilty plea to a federal fraud charge and a 2011 fraud lawsuit against the boys’ mother, Angele LaSalle. She asserted the young actors had been “victimized” – but not by Busfield. “They were victimized by their own parents, who no longer could make money as a lawyer, disbarred. No longer could write bad checks,” she said, “taking 85% of the money they made on a TV show and then manufactured into victims as revenge.”
The allegations have already impacted Busfield’s career. He was dropped by his agency and edited out of an upcoming film, according to reports. NBC also pulled an episode of “Law & Order: SVU” featuring Busfield from its programming schedule last week.
What evidence did the judge consider when deciding to release Busfield? The judge considered letters from Busfield’s friends and family, supporting affidavits, and the absence of any prior similar allegations involving children.
