A New Mexico grand jury has voted to indict Timothy Busfield on criminal charges relating to alleged sexual contact with a child, the Albuquerque prosecutor's office announced on Friday.
The grand jury returned a four-count indictment on Thursday charging Busfield with criminal sexual contact of a child, a third-degree felony under New Mexico law. The indictment follows a criminal complaint filed by Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman and Busfield's subsequent surrender to authorities on Jan. 13.
According to the district attorney's original criminal complaint, the alleged abuse involved twin boys who were seven or eight years old at the time the incidents are said to have occurred during two years of production on the Fox crime drama "The Cleaning Lady." The complaint states the incidents happened while the series was being filmed in Albuquerque. The boys are now 11 years old.
Busfield, 68, recorded a video statement prior to his surrender in which he called the accusations "lies" and said he would be cleared. A judge ordered him released from custody roughly a week after his surrender, finding there was insufficient evidence to justify pre-trial detention.
The formal indictment was not yet public as of Friday morning, the prosecutor's office said. The district attorney's earlier complaint provided the details that the grand jury considered before voting to indict.
Busfield served as an executive producer on "The Cleaning Lady" and directed several episodes of the series, according to the complaint. He is widely recognized for his television work, including his role as a White House reporter on the NBC political drama "The West Wing," which aired from 1999 to 2006, and as an advertising agency executive on the 1980s ABC ensemble series "Thirtysomething."
Attempts to reach Busfield for comment were not successful. His defense attorney, Christopher Dodd, did not respond to requests for comment.
Case status
The grand jury's indictment permits prosecutors to move forward toward a trial. As of the most recent public statement, the indictment itself had not been posted publicly, and several elements of the prosecution's case remain confined to the initial criminal complaint and filings by the district attorney's office.
Personal details included in filings
Court filings and the district attorney's complaint identify Busfield's involvement in the production of the Fox series at the time of the alleged incidents. The filings also note his marriage to Melissa Gilbert, an actor who previously served as president of the Screen Actors Guild.