ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Emmy Award-winning actor and director Timothy Busfield voluntarily surrendered to law enforcement on Tuesday in New Mexico, where he faces serious charges related to child sex abuse.

The arrest follows a warrant issued by Albuquerque police on January 9. Busfield is accused of two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and one count of child abuse. These charges are linked to claims that he inappropriately touched a young boy while directing the TV series “The Cleaning Lady.”

Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos confirmed that Busfield was being processed on these charges by local authorities.

According to a criminal complaint filed by an investigator with the Albuquerque Police Department, the boy, who was 7 years old at the time, alleged that Busfield touched him three to four times inappropriately over his clothing. The complaint further details that similar incidents occurred five or six times when the boy was 8 years old.

The child was reportedly afraid to tell anyone because Busfield was the director and he feared he would get mad at him, the complaint said.

The boy’s twin brother told authorities he was touched by Busfield but did not specify where. He said he didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to get in trouble.

Busfield denied the allegations last fall when interviewed by authorities as part of the investigation, the complaint said. He suggested that the boys’ mother was seeking revenge for her children being replaced on the series. He also said he likely would have picked up and tickled the boys, saying the set was a playful environment.

Busfield’s attorney did not immediately return a message seeking comment Tuesday. A video obtained by TMZ showed Busfield in front of a window with the Albuquerque skyline in the backdrop. He said he arrived in the city after driving 2,000 miles (3,219 kilometers).

“I’m going to confront these lies. They’re horrible. They’re all lies,” Busfield said.

The mother of the twins — who are identified only by their initials in court records — reported to Child Protective Services that the abuse occurred between November 2022 and spring 2024, the complaint said.

The investigation began in November 2024, when the investigator responded to a call from a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. The boys’ parents had gone there at the recommendation of a law firm, the complaint said.

According to the complaint, one of the boys has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. A social worker documented him saying he has had nightmares about Busfield touching him.

“The Cleaning Lady” aired for four seasons on Fox, ending in 2025. The show was produced by Warner Bros., which according to the complaint conducted its own investigation into the abuse allegations but was unable to corroborate them.

Busfield, who is married to actor Melissa Gilbert, is known for appearances in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams” and “Thirtysomething,” the latter of which won him an Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series in 1991.

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