Timothy Busfield's lawyer says the actor drove roughly 20 hours to Albuquerque to surrender because an active arrest warrant allegedly prevented him from flying. Prosecutors say he delayed surrender and call the trip "calculated." Busfield faces two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse; he denies the allegations and plans to fight them. Public records and filings include alleged disclosures, a UNMH referral and an internal Warner Bros. inquiry; some reported dates in filings appear inconsistent and are noted in the article.
Timothy Busfield Says He 'Had To' Drive 20 Hours To Surrender — DA Calls Trip 'Calculated'
Steven Ferdman/GettyTimothy Busfield attends the New York premiere of ABC's 'For Life' on Feb. 5, 2020
Timothy Busfield's lawyer says the actor felt he had no practical choice but to drive roughly 20 hours to Albuquerque to turn himself in after an outstanding arrest warrant allegedly prevented him from flying.
Charges: Bernalillo County prosecutors have charged Busfield with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor (children under 13) and one count of child abuse. The actor surrendered to authorities after arriving in New Mexico.
Defense Account
Busfield's defense attorney, Larry Stein, told PEOPLE that criminal attorney Chris Dodd contacted Albuquerque authorities to request that the arrest warrant be withdrawn so Busfield could board a flight and surrender voluntarily. According to Stein, authorities refused, leaving Busfield the option of traveling by car.
Bernalillo CountyTimothy Busfield
"He can't have an arrest warrant pending because if he goes to the airport to come here from across country, he's gonna get arrested. And of course they said, 'No, we will not remove the arrest warrant.' So he got in his car and drove 20 hours to get here to turn himself in because he couldn't go on a plane,"
Stein also criticized the involvement of U.S. Marshals in locating and apprehending Busfield as "out of whack and disproportionate to the situation," and emphasized that his client "turned himself in as soon as he could, given the fact that he had the drive." He said Busfield is "absolutely shocked," denies the allegations and intends to defend himself.
Prosecutors' View
In a pretrial detention motion obtained by PEOPLE, the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office characterized the travel differently, saying Busfield "did not immediately surrender to law enforcement" and allegedly delayed for approximately five days, traveling from New York to New Mexico to avoid the extradition process. The DA's filing described the trip as a "calculated decision to submit to law enforcement only on terms most convenient to the Defendant." The DA's office declined further comment to PEOPLE.
Allegations and Investigation
The arrest warrant alleges unlawful sexual conduct involving two 11-year-old twin boys; their identities are being withheld. According to the warrant and reporting, the families first raised concerns after interactions tied to Busfield's work on the FOX series The Cleaning Lady, where he served as a director in season 2. A doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) reportedly alerted police, prompting an investigation that the warrant traces back to Nov. 1, 2024.
Rodin Eckenroth/GettyTimothy Busfield poses for portrait at the 34th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival
The warrant alleges one victim said the incidents began when he was 7. It also references prior contacts with authorities and Child Protective Services and cites disclosures to counselors. An internal Warner Bros. inquiry is reported to include a witness claim that Busfield kissed a minor on the face in a hair-and-makeup trailer in December 2024.
Note on Reported Dates: Some dates cited in public reports and filings appear inconsistent (for example, references to events in 2025 alongside a 2024 investigation start date). The timeline above reproduces the facts as reported in public filings and media coverage; discrepancies in the reported dates are noted in court documents and media reports.
Family Statement and Resources
A representative for Busfield's wife, Melissa Gilbert, said she is focused on supporting their family and will address the public when appropriate. As with any allegation involving possible child abuse, local hotlines and national resources are available. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline can be reached at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) or at www.childhelp.org.
Busfield is scheduled to appear before a judge later this week as the legal process continues.
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