Child Sex Abuse Charges Dropped Against Actor Timothy Busfield

A judge in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has dismissed child sex abuse charges against actor Timothy Busfield, ruling that prosecutors engaged in misconduct by improperly withholding witnesses. The decision on Friday by Second Judicial District Court Judge Joseph Montano means Busfield, 69, no longer faces four counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor.

Prosecutors have the option to file new charges but have not yet indicated their intentions. Busfield has consistently denied the allegations, stating they were fabricated out of revenge.

The case originated from Busfield's time directing the TV series "The Cleaning Lady" between 2022 and 2024. The parents of twin boys, who were subsequently let go from the show, accused Busfield of inappropriately touching their children on set.

According to a criminal complaint filed in January, one of the boys reported that Busfield touched him over his clothing on his private areas on two separate occasions when he was seven and eight years old. His twin brother reportedly told authorities he was also touched but could not specify where and did not report it for fear of getting into trouble.

Busfield surrendered to authorities on January 13 and was released pending trial. At that time, a judge found no history of criminal conduct or similar allegations involving children. Weeks later, a grand jury handed down an indictment reiterating the claims of inappropriate touching.

Busfield's legal team argued that initial police interviews indicated the children stated Busfield had not touched them inappropriately. They contended that the boys' parents coached their children to provide incriminating statements after the boys lost their roles on the show. In June, Busfield's attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the indictment, alleging prosecutors were "willfully blind to the lack of evidence" and created "procedural hurdles" to prevent grand jurors from hearing witness testimony.

During a September hearing, Busfield's attorney, Amanda Fayerberg, presented audio recordings of grand jurors expressing a desire to hear from additional witnesses. Fayerberg argued that prosecutors incorrectly told the jurors that subpoenas were necessary, despite the witnesses being available and willing to testify. "The state engaged in egregious prosecutorial misconduct," Fayerberg stated.

Bernalillo County District Attorney Greer Staley countered that the defense had not followed the proper procedure for submitting evidence to the grand jury. Staley also alleged that Busfield himself improperly and excessively attempted to influence grand jurors during his testimony.

Transcripts from the proceedings reveal that Busfield testified the case had significantly disrupted his life and impacted his family, leading to him being "canceled" and losing work, including being fired by his agency. He asserted he had nothing to hide and categorically denied the allegations, stating, "I'm saying that is absolutely one gazillion percent untrue. Never ever."

Prosecutors had initially indicated that each count carried a potential penalty of six years in prison, with possible enhancements.