Overview
- Busfield surrendered on Jan. 13 in Albuquerque and was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse; he is being held without bond ahead of a Jan. 20 pretrial detention hearing.
- The state’s motion for detention references alleged grooming and a newly reported claim that a father says Busfield kissed and touched his then‑16‑year‑old daughter during an audition at Sacramento’s B Street Theatre.
- Defense filings submitted Jan. 16 include 75 letters from family, colleagues and friends, with wife Melissa Gilbert urging the judge to keep her husband safe and being listed as a potential defense witness.
- Busfield’s attorneys say he passed a polygraph, submitted a psychosexual evaluation rating him a very low risk, and cite a Warner Bros.–commissioned review they argue undermined the on‑set misconduct claims.
- Industry fallout has included his agency dropping him and a TV guest appearance being pulled, as the case traces back to a 2024 hospital alert and allegations from 11‑year‑old twins who worked on The Cleaning Lady.