1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: Crime Alart hourly update Breaking Crime News Now. I'm Drew Nelson, 2 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:08,639 Speaker 1: Breaking Now. A new Mexico grand jury indicts actor Timothy 3 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 1: Bussfield on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child. 4 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:16,919 Speaker 1: The indictment announced by Bernard Leo County District Attorney Sam 5 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:21,239 Speaker 1: Bregman in Albuquerque. Prosecutors say all four charges are third 6 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: degree felonies with up to three years behind bars, plus 7 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: fines and post release supervision. Busfield, age sixty eight, is 8 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:32,639 Speaker 1: accused of inappropriate sexual contact with two young boys who 9 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: were child actors on the Fox TV series The Cleaning Lady, 10 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: which employed Busfield as a director. Investigators say the alleged 11 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 1: conduct occurred on set during periods between late twenty twenty 12 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 1: two and early twenty four. Busfield's attorneys accused the boy's 13 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:51,479 Speaker 1: parents of fabricating the story after the children's roles were recast. 14 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: Busfield turned himself into authorities in Albuquerque last month after 15 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: an arrest warrant was issued, and was later released on 16 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 1: his own recognissance. A judge ruled that Busfield does not 17 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: pose a danger to the community, but did impose strict conditions. 18 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: He is barred from contacting the alleged victims or their families, 19 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,759 Speaker 1: prohibited from possessing weapons, and is not allowed unsupervised contact 20 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:17,119 Speaker 1: with any minors while the case moves forward. Busfield has 21 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: repeatedly denied the allegations. In video obtained by our partners 22 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 1: at TMZ, recorded shortly before he surrendered, Busfield directly addressed 23 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 1: the accusations, I'm going. 24 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 2: To confront these lies. They're horrible. They're all lies, and 25 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:34,960 Speaker 2: I did not do anything to those little boys, and 26 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 2: I'm I'm gonna fight it. I'm going to fight it 27 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 2: with a great team, and I'm gonna be exonerated. I 28 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 2: know i am, because this is all so wrong and 29 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 2: all lies. So hang in there and hopefully I'm out 30 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 2: real soon and back back to work. And I love 31 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 2: everybody for supporting me. Thank you. 32 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 1: Busfield's attorney, Larry Stein, has called the indictment not unexpected, 33 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 1: arguing the case is fundamentally flawed. Stein claims prosecutors are 34 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: pushing forward despite what he describes as gaps in the evidence, 35 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: and he says the defense is prepared to challenge the 36 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 1: allegations in open court. During a detention hearing last month, 37 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: prosecutors told the judge the children's disclosures were detailed and consistent. 38 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: The defense countered with testimony from crew members who said 39 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 1: they never observed inappropriate conduct on set. Busfield's lawyers also 40 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:28,079 Speaker 1: point to an independent investigation commissioned by Warner Brothers, which 41 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 1: they say found no corroborating evidence. Prosecutors have referenced past 42 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: accusations raised against Busfield by other individuals, though none resulted 43 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: in criminal charges. The judge overseeing the case said he 44 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: placed little weight on those claims. Busfield is widely known 45 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 1: for his work on the West Wing, Field of Dreams, 46 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: thirty something, and Revenge of the Nerds. Within days of 47 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: the arrest warrant becoming public, he was dropped by his 48 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: talent agency, Innovative Artists. NBC pulled an episode of Law 49 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: and Order Special Victims Unit that had already been filmed 50 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: but was air with Busfield appearing as a guest star. 51 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: The episode has been reshot with actor David Zeis replacing Busfield. 52 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:10,239 Speaker 1: Busfield's wife, actress and former Little House on the Prairie 53 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 1: star Melissa Gilbert, issued a statement saying her focuses on 54 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: supporting her husband and caring for their family as they 55 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: navigate what she describes as an extremely difficult moment. She 56 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 1: says she will address the public at a later time 57 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 1: if and when that becomes appropriate. For more on the 58 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 1: case of Timothy Bussfield joined Crime Stories with Nancy Grace 59 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 1: at our new time six pm Eastern on Sirius ex 60 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: Sam Triumph Channel one eleven and streaming exclusively on Fox 61 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: one for the first twenty four hours. And for the 62 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: latest crime and justice news, follow Crime Alert's hourly update 63 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: on your favorite podcast app. With his Crime Alert, I'm 64 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: Drew Nelson.