The West Wing actor Timothy Busfield is facing another accusation of sexual abuse after he surrendered to the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) on Tuesday. An arrest warrant had been issued for the director to face child sex abuse charges last week. Busfield was booked by Albuquerque police on charges of child sex abuse stemming from allegations that he inappropriately touched a minor on the set of a TV series he was directing in New Mexico. He faces two counts of criminal sexual contact of a child under 13 and one count of child abuse.
The new accusation of sexual abuse comes from a pretrial detention motion filed on Jan. 14, and viewed by Global News.
In the filing, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bergman and Deputy DA Savannah Brandenburg-Koch revealed that the claim against Busfield came to light over the past 24 hours. Story continues below advertisement "Another victim's father, Colin Swift, reported to law enforcement on January 13, 2026 reporting sexual abuse of their daughter that occurred several years ago by the hands of the defendant in Sacramento, CA," the filing states."While auditioning for the defendant at B Street Theatre, the 16-year-old reported that defendant kissed her and put his hands down her pants and touched her privates," the filing continues.
Busfield allegedly "begged the family to not report to law enforcement if he received therapy." More on Entertainment More videos Melissa Gilbert, Timothy Busfield's wife, 'stands with and supports' husband Singer Julio Iglesias accused of sexual assault by former employees 'It Ends With Us' author Colleen Hoover reveals cancer diagnosis Timothy Busfield surrenders to police after accusations of child sex abuse Kiefer Sutherland arrested after allegedly assaulting ride-share driver The Morning Show: January 14 'The battle begins;' Nova Scotia Natural History Museum hosts dinosaur exhibit sequel Travelling doctor blends passion with responsibility Swift, who is a therapist himself, "thought at the time that was the best thing to do," according to the motion."The Defendant poses an ongoing and serious danger to children and the community," the motion for pretrial detention says. "His conduct reflects a calculated pattern of grooming, lack of boundaries, and exploitation of professional authority to gain access to minors." Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Authorities are also asking the judge to detain Busfield while trial is pending."Witnesses in this investigation expressed fear of retaliation and career harm for reporting the Defendant's conduct, further underscoring his ability to intimidate and silence others," the legal doc says."No condition or combination of conditions-including supervision, electronic monitoring, or no contact orders-can reasonably mitigate this danger." Story continues below advertisement The pretrial motion claims that Busfield has a "history of alleged sexual misconduct spanning more than two decades.""Coupled with the fear expressed by witnesses regarding retaliation and professional harm, illustrates how individuals in positions of power are able to silence victims and witnesses, allowing abuse to persist unchecked," the filing adds.
The doc also notes that despite "knowing on Friday afternoon that a warrant had been issued for his arrest," Busfield, "did not immediately surrender to law enforcement."Instead, he delayed for approximately five days, traveling from New York to New Mexico to avoid the extradition process. This was not an act of cooperation; it was a calculated decision to submit to law enforcement only on terms most convenient to the Defendant," the doc adds. 1:19 Police on the hunt for 'The West Wing' actor Timothy Busfield Trending Now François Legault resigns as Quebec's premier with election approaching Greenland, Denmark 'continue to differ' with U.S. after White House meeting Before surrendering to authorities, Busfield released a video to TMZ, denying the allegations against him. Story continues below advertisement "They're all lies and I did not do anything to those little boys and I'm gonna fight it. I'm gonna fight it with a great team, and I'm gonna be exonerated, I know I am, because this is all so wrong and all lies," he said.
The pretrial motion refers to the video as "troubling.""Prior to surrendering, the Defendant chose to record and disseminate a video to a national media outlet, TMZ. This conduct demonstrates a willingness to prioritize personal narrative control and public relations over compliance with lawful court processes," the filing states."Such behavior raises serious concerns that the Defendant will comply with court orders only when it suits him, rather than out of respect for judicial auth