Actor Timothy Busfield faces four felony counts for allegedly groping a young boy on a TV set, with his defence claiming the accusations are fabricated.
ALBUQUERQUE: Actor Timothy Busfield, known for roles in ‘The West Wing’ and ‘Thirtysomething’, has been indicted on child sex offense charges.
A New Mexico grand jury returned a four-count indictment on Friday, accusing the 68-year-old of groping a young boy on the set of the Fox TV drama ‘The Cleaning Lady’.
The indictment supersedes an earlier criminal complaint and contains four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child, a third-degree felony.
It is based on allegations that Busfield improperly touched one of two twin brothers who were cast members on the show he was directing and producing.
Prosecutors initially alleged in an affidavit that the contact occurred over a two-year period when the boys were aged 7 and 8.
One boy reported multiple instances of Busfield touching his “private areas” over his clothes, according to the court document.
The grand jury indictment contains no general charge of child abuse, unlike the initial complaint which carried two counts.
Busfield has steadfastly professed his innocence, calling the allegations against him “lies”.
In a videotaped statement released prior to his arrest last month, he said, “I did not do anything to those little boys.”
His defence attorney, Christopher Dodd, described the boys’ parents in court as “scam artists” seeking “revenge”.
Dodd asserted the twins were replaced in the cast and that both boys initially denied being sexually abused when questioned by law enforcement.
The indictment comes just over two weeks after a judge found the initial evidence “neutral” and ordered Busfield freed from pre-trial detention.
An arraignment, where Busfield will enter a plea, has been set for Feb. 16.
Busfield is best known for his role as a White House reporter on the NBC drama ‘The West Wing’.
He also starred in the 1980s ABC series ‘Thirtysomething’ and the 1989 film ‘Field of Dreams’.
He is married to actor and former Screen Actors Guild president Melissa Gilbert.
