Timothy Busfield pleads not guilty to child sex abuse charges
Timothy Busfield pleaded not guilty to multiple child sex abuse charges.
Busfield entered the plea on Feb. 11, according to New Mexico court records viewed by Fox News Digital. The same day, he waived his right to an arraignment, as well as other pretrial proceedings.
A witness list was submitted by the prosecution on Feb. 13. The next hearing in the case, a scheduling conference, is set to take place on March 10.
The "ThirtySomething" star, 68, surrendered to local authorities on child sex abuse charges on Jan. 13. He was held without bail at the time of his arrest on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse.
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Busfield's attorney, Larry Stein, insisted the case against his client "cannot be proven at trial" in a statement shared with Fox News Digital following his indictment.
"The indictment was not unexpected. As the saying goes, a grand jury will indict a ham sandwich," Stein said.
"What is deeply concerning is that the District Attorney is choosing to proceed on a case that is fundamentally unsound and cannot be proven at trial. The detention hearing exposed fatal weaknesses in the State’s evidence – gaps that no amount of charging decisions can cure."
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He added, "This prosecution appears driven by something other than the facts or the law. Mr. Busfield will fight these charges at every stage and looks forward to testing the State’s case in open court – where evidence matters – not behind closed doors."
Last month, authorities issued an arrest warrant for Busfield over allegations of misconduct from when he was working as a director on the set of the TV series "The Cleaning Lady."
Busfield was released on Jan. 20. "You're authorized for release on your own recognizance with the conditions that you appear at all future court settings," Judge Murphy said. "You have not violated any laws."
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Additionally, Busfield was ordered to not discuss the case with any of the witnesses nor have contact with children under the age of 18.
According to an arrest warrant obtained by Fox News Digital, two 11-year-old twins allege that the director, whom they were told to call Uncle Tim on the set of "The Cleaning Lady," had touched them inappropriately.
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The police investigation into the allegations against Busfield began on Nov. 1, 2024, after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital alerted officers about a case of alleged sexual abuse.
Busfield was initially charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor, child under 13, and one count of child abuse.
Under New Mexico law, each count of criminal sexual contact carries up to six years of incarceration, and child abuse carries up to three years, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman stated.