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US Marshals seek Timothy Busfield after child sex abuse allegations
By Christina Dugan Ramirez
Published January 13, 2026
Days after authorities in New Mexico issued an arrest warrant for "Thirtysomething" alum Timothy Busfield on child sex abuse charges, the U.S. Marshals stepped in, taking over efforts to locate and apprehend the actor.
"Albuquerque Police Department is working with the U.S. Marshal Service to get Mr. Busfield into custody," APD spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos told Fox News Digital on Tuesday of the DOJ’s primary agency for fugitive investigations.
On Jan. 9, an arrest warrant for the director and Emmy Award-winning actor, obtained by Fox News Digital, was issued.
On Jan. 9, an arrest warrant for Timothy Busfield was issued for child abuse charges. (Noam Galai/Getty Images)
An investigator with the Albuquerque Police Department filed a criminal complaint in support of the charge, which says a child reported that Busfield touched him inappropriately.
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The alleged acts — which allegedly happened when the child was 7 years old — occurred on the set of "The Cleaning Lady," a TV series Busfield directed and acted in. Busfield allegedly touched the child three or four times, and again, another five or six times when the child was 8.
An investigation into the allegations against Busfield began in November 2024. (Steven Ferdman/Getty Images)
"The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors on our productions," a representative from Warner Bros. Television told Fox News Digital in a statement. "We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and have systems in place to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and when needed, take appropriate action. We are aware of the current charges against Mr. Busfield and have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement."
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The police investigation into the allegations against Busfield began on Nov. 1, 2024, after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital alerted officers about a case of alleged sexual abuse.
Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield married in 2013. (Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
Busfield's wife, "Little House on the Prairie" actress Melissa Gilbert, reportedly deleted her Instagram account after the arrest warrant was issued.
Gilbert and Busfield married in 2013.
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https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/us-marshals-seek-timothy-busfield-after-child-sex-abuse-allegations