Outline:
New Allegations Against Actor Timothy Busfield
Actor Timothy Busfield, currently facing child sex abuse charges in New Mexico, has been accused of sexually molesting a 16-year-old girl during an audition for Sacramento’s B Street Theatre. This claim was included in a motion filed by Bernalillo County prosecutors in criminal court in Albuquerque.
The motion stated that Colin Swift, a Sacramento-area therapist at the time, contacted prosecutors after news reports surfaced about allegations against Busfield. Swift claimed his daughter had also been sexually abused by Busfield. The actor lived in Sacramento for many years and is a co-founder of the city’s B Street Theatre.
According to the motion, the 16-year-old girl reported that Busfield kissed her and touched her private areas during an audition. At the time, Busfield allegedly begged the family not to report the incident to law enforcement and promised to participate in psychotherapy. Swift, who was a therapist himself, believed this was the best course of action at the time.
Prosecutors filed the motion as part of their argument that Busfield should not be released from jail while awaiting trial. The 68-year-old actor faces two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor child and one count of child abuse, all classified as felonies.
Busfield was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque on Monday and remains in custody, according to booking records. He was scheduled for arraignment on Wednesday afternoon.
Career and Notable Roles
Busfield, born in Lansing, Michigan, gained prominence through roles in the 1988 ABC drama "Thirtysomething" and the film "Field of Dreams." He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Danny Concannon on "The West Wing."
He co-founded B Street Theatre in 1991 with his brother, Buck Busfield. Additionally, he was involved with the Sacramento Smokeys, a semi-pro baseball team, for nine seasons.
Busfield has denied the allegations that he inappropriately touched and groomed twin boys on the set of "The Cleaning Lady," a television show filmed in Albuquerque. In a video posted online by TMZ, he stated, "I’m going to confront these lies. They’re horrible. They’re all lies. And I did not do anything to those little boys."
In the video, Busfield mentioned driving 2,000 miles to Albuquerque to address the charges. He was briefly the subject of a nationwide manhunt as police sought to arrest him.
Multiple Incidents Mentioned in Court Filings
The criminal complaint and the motion filed by prosecutors highlighted a history of inappropriate sexual behavior by Busfield in both Northern and Southern California.
In the documents, prosecutors cited media reports of a 1994 incident where a 17-year-old extra on the film "Little Big League" sued Busfield in Los Angeles Superior Court. The teen alleged that Busfield assaulted her, served her alcohol, groped her, and attempted sex in a trailer. The case was settled privately, and Busfield countersued for defamation, but the case was dismissed.
In March 2012, a 28-year-old woman made a police report accusing Busfield of sexual battery. She alleged he touched her genitals under her clothes for four minutes. Busfield claimed the incident was consensual, and no arrest was made.
B Street Theatre’s Response
It is unclear when the alleged incident at B Street Theatre occurred. In a statement, the theater organization distanced itself from Busfield, stating he had not participated in meetings or productions there for 25 years.
"Mr. Busfield does not have any role presently with B Street Theatre," the statement said. "He was a co-founder of the theatre but has not served in any capacity since 2001. He is listed on our website as an emeritus member of the board, however he has not attended a board meeting in that capacity since 2001."
The statement, released before the allegations about Swift’s daughter came to light, said the New Mexico charges did not involve the theater company in any way. "B Street Theatre is aware of recent media reports concerning Timothy Busfield and allegations of criminal conduct that have been reported in New Mexico," the statement said. "These allegations did not occur at B Street Theatre, nor do they involve any activity connected with our organization, its staff, or our programs…"
"Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this situation, particularly anyone impacted by abuse or exploitation in any form," the statement continued.
A spokesperson for the theater company did not immediately reply to a request for comment about the allegations attributed to Swift in the New Mexico court motion.
Prosecutors’ Argument for No Bail
In their motion, prosecutors argued that the alleged incident involving B Street Theatre, along with the history of other incidents and the cases pending against Busfield in New Mexico, demonstrate that it would not be appropriate to release him on bail pending his trial. They also asked the court to agree that there was probable cause to arrest and charge Busfield in the case involving the child actors on "The Cleaning Lady."
"This conduct demonstrates that the defendant poses a serious and ongoing danger not only to the named victims, but to any child placed within his proximity," the motion said.