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The Albuquerque Police Department is receiving federal help to locate Timothy Busfield after a warrant was issued for his arrest last week over alleged child abuse.
The U.S. Marshals Service confirmed to Us Weekly on Tuesday, January 13, that it is assisting the APD in its efforts to locate Busfield, 68. (People and TMZ were first to report the news on Monday, January 12.)
An APD spokesperson told People that they were “not aware” whether Busfield had been located, detained or arrested as of Monday.
A warrant for the West Wing alum’s arrest was issued in New Mexico on Friday, January 9.
Us has reached out to the Albuquerque Police Department for comment.
An arrest warrant issued Friday charged Busfield with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and child abuse.
According to the legal documents, obtained by Us, a child actor accused Busfield of touching his “private areas” when he was 7 years old on the set of the Fox series The Cleaning Lady, of which Busfield directed several episodes. The actor alleged that Busfield touched him again several times when he was 8 years old.
An affidavit said the boy was “very afraid of Tim and was relieved when he was off set,” noting that the child actor and his twin brother, who was also a child actor on the show, were encouraged to call Busfield “Uncle Tim.”
The Cleaning Lady made headlines for minor behind-the-scenes shakeups before the Fox series was the subject of a sexual abuse scandal in 2026 — one year after the show was off the air. Based on the 2017 Argentinian TV show La Chica Que Limpia, The Cleaning Lady premiered in 2022 and followed a former surgeon […]
The boy was “was afraid to tell anyone because Tim was the director, and he feared Tim would get mad at him,” per the affidavit.
According to the document, the Albuquerque Police Department spoke with Busfield over the phone in November 2025. Busfield was asked if he had ever had any “physical contact” with the boys, specifically, “if he ever picked them up and tickled them.”
“Timothy said it was highly likely that he would have. Timothy said it was a playful environment,” the document said.
Busfield told the police that any physical contact would have been “in front of the parents” and “there would never be a weird moment about it.”
He later stated, “I don’t really remember picking those boys up. … I don’t remember those boys. No, I don‘t, I don’t actually, I don’t remember it, if it happened, I don’t remember overtly tickling the boys ever, but it wouldn’t be uncommon for me.”
Per the document, Timothy and his wife, Little House on the Prairie alum Melissa Gilbert, told the interviewing officer that “they did have a relationship” with the two child actors and their family “outside of work.”
“They advised that they did buy the two boys Christmas gifts and were together [at] several social functions,” the affidavit reads.
The Cleaning Lady, starring Elodie Yung, aired for four seasons between January 2022 and June 2025 before it was canceled.
In a statement to Variety, Warner Bros. Television, which coproduced the show, said, “The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors on our productions. We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and have systems in place to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and when needed, take appropriate action. We are aware of the current charges against Mr. Busfield and have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
