Actor Timothy Busfield has made his first court appearance after turning himself in on criminal charges that he allegedly sexually abused two boys on the set of a TV series filmed in New Mexico, prosecutors say. The Emmy-winning actor, who starred in Thirtysomething and The West Wing, was taken into custody in Albuquerque on two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse that police allege happened on the set of Fox's crime drama The Cleaning Lady.
Busfield, 68, strenuously denied the allegations through his lawyer. The claims being made against Tim are completely false, and we will fight this to the end until the truth prevails, the lawyer, Stanton Larry Stein, said.
Stein said the actor, who is also known for his roles in the baseball film Field of Dreams and the comedy thriller Revenge of the Nerds, was being accused as an act of revenge after the children had been terminated from the series, which angered their mother.
During a media conference on Thursday, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said that Busfield made an initial court appearance on Wednesday and a judge ordered that he remain in custody. The case is now being transferred to district court, and a hearing has been set for January 20 to determine whether Busfield should be released on bail pending trial.
Our priority is to protect the rights of everyone involved, Bregman said at the news conference, urging anyone with information to contact law enforcement.
In a warrant for Busfield's arrest, prosecutors say the parents of boys allege that Busfield groomed and sexually abused the youngsters while working on set for The Cleaning Lady, which Busfield both directs and executive produces. It airs on Fox in the US.
In an affidavit supporting his arrest warrant, authorities claim the boys referred to Busfield as Uncle Tim and alleged that he would tickle them on the stomach and legs. Both boys told authorities they were touched inappropriately for years, the arrest affidavit states.
One of the boys alleged that Busfield touched his private areas, according to court documents.
Busfield, 68, strenuously denied the allegations through his lawyer. The claims being made against Tim are completely false, and we will fight this to the end until the truth prevails, the lawyer, Stanton Larry Stein, said.
Stein said the actor, who is also known for his roles in the baseball film Field of Dreams and the comedy thriller Revenge of the Nerds, was being accused as an act of revenge after the children had been terminated from the series, which angered their mother.
During a media conference on Thursday, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said that Busfield made an initial court appearance on Wednesday and a judge ordered that he remain in custody. The case is now being transferred to district court, and a hearing has been set for January 20 to determine whether Busfield should be released on bail pending trial.
Our priority is to protect the rights of everyone involved, Bregman said at the news conference, urging anyone with information to contact law enforcement.
In a warrant for Busfield's arrest, prosecutors say the parents of boys allege that Busfield groomed and sexually abused the youngsters while working on set for The Cleaning Lady, which Busfield both directs and executive produces. It airs on Fox in the US.
In an affidavit supporting his arrest warrant, authorities claim the boys referred to Busfield as Uncle Tim and alleged that he would tickle them on the stomach and legs. Both boys told authorities they were touched inappropriately for years, the arrest affidavit states.
One of the boys alleged that Busfield touched his private areas, according to court documents.
