Judge Orders Timothy Busfield Released Pending Trial

State District Court Judge David Murphy ordered actor Timothy Busfield released on his own recognizance pending trial on Tuesday, and directed Albuquerque pretrial services to supervise him with conditions barring possession of firearms and drugs and prohibiting contact with the alleged victims, according to court records.

The release follows an arrest warrant issued Jan. 9 charging Busfield with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse that alleges he inappropriately touched twin boys on the set of the Fox/Warner Bros. series The Cleaning Lady, according to the criminal complaint.

Bernalillo County Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch argued for continued detention at the hearing, saying the boys' allegations are "supported by medical findings and by their therapist," while Busfield's attorneys submitted audio recordings they say contain denials and argued the accusations arose after the boys lost roles, according to court filings and hearing transcripts.

Prosecutors described a purported pattern of sexual misconduct and grooming that they traced to allegations from 1994 and 2012 and said witnesses expressed fear of retaliation, while Busfield's defense submitted 75 letters of support including one from his wife, actress Melissa Gilbert, and cited a Warner Bros. review that they say found the claims unfounded, according to filings.

A trial date has not been set, and Judge Murphy ordered Busfield to appear at all future court dates, allowed him to return to his home outside New Mexico under supervision, and prosecutors said they will continue investigating and preparing the case for trial, according to court records and statements from the Bernalillo County district attorney's office.