Theater Where Timothy Busfield Allegedly Abused Girl, 16, Confirms 2001 'Internal Investigation,' Says He Hasn't Been 'Involved' in 25 Years

A California theater company says Timothy Busfield has not been involved in his role at the theater following an internal investigation that came after he was accused of abusing a 16-year-old girl there 25 years ago.

Busfield, 68, was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse in New Mexico on Tuesday, Jan. 13, after he surrendered to Albuquerque police. The charges are in connection with incidents that allegedly occurred while Busfield was a director on the second season of the FOX series The Cleaning Lady, which aired in 2022. In that case, the alleged victims are 11-year-old twin boys.

A pretrial detention motion filed on Wednesday, Jan. 14, and obtained by PEOPLE, included an unrelated allegation of sexual abuse. According to the motion, “another victim’s father,” Colin Swift, contacted law enforcement on Jan. 13 and reported that Busfield allegedly sexually abused Swift’s daughter “several years ago” in Sacramento, Calif.

“While auditioning for [Busfield] at B Street Theatre, the 16-year-old reported that [Busfield] kissed her and put his hands down her pants and touched her privates,” the motion reads. 

The West Wing actor, who is married to actress Melissa Gilbert, allegedly “begged the family to not report to law enforcement if he received therapy” and Swift, being a “therapist himself, thought at the time that was the best thing to do," per the motion.

B Street Theatre is “aware of a report concerning Timothy Busfield regarding an incident alleged to have occurred at B Street Theatre approximately 25 years ago,” the company said in a Jan. 14 statement to PEOPLE. 

“B Street Theatre retained legal counsel at the time to conduct an internal investigation, and Mr. Busfield has not had any role in the organization since 2001,” the statement continued. “He is not involved in our current operations, staff, leadership, or programming. Although he is listed as an emeritus board member, he has not participated in theatre governance or attended a board meeting since that time.”

Because the allegation is now part of the active investigation into the unrelated allegations in New Mexico, B Street Theatre said it could not provide further information.

“As an organization that has served Sacramento and the greater region for decades, our mission remains to provide a safe, creative, and inclusive environment for artists, students, families, and audiences,” the theatre said. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by abuse or exploitation in any form.”

"The allegations were never challenged, they were never proved, and they’re 25 years old,” Busfield’s civil attorney Larry Stein told PEOPLE. “And there doesn't seem to be any connection between these allegations regarding women 25 years ago and the allegations regarding these young boys.”

Busfield allegedly engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with two boys, whose identities were withheld from the public in the Jan. 9 arrest warrant. According to the warrant, one of the victims alleged that the incidents began when he was 7 years old.

Busfield turned himself in to authorities on Jan. 13 and appeared before a judge in Bernalillo County, N.M., on Jan. 14. He is being held without bond and remains in custody before his pretrial detention hearing. The judge set a Jan. 29 deadline for his preliminary hearing. In their pretrial motion, prosecutors seek to keep Busfield in custody while awaiting trial.

In a video obtained by TMZ shortly before Busfield surrendered, the actor said he “did not do anything.”

"I'm sure most of you know, that are watching this, that I was ordered to come to Albuquerque – I'm here now. I got the call Friday night, I had to get a lawyer,” Busfield said after introducing himself. “Saturday I got in the car, drove 2,000 miles to Albuquerque. I'm gonna confront these lies. They're horrible."

He continued, "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."

"So hang in there and hopefully I'm out real soon and back to work,” he concluded. “I love everybody for supporting me, thank you."

The investigation into Busfield began on Nov. 1, 2024, when a University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) doctor alerted police about alleged sexual abuse. The alleged victims’ parents told the officer who issued the warrant that the alleged victims were minors when they met Busfield on the set of The Cleaning Lady, a series produced by Warner Bros. Television.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.          

"The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors on our productions,” a Warner Bros. Television representative said in a statement to PEOPLE. “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] have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement."

In a statement to PEOPLE on Gilbert’s behalf, her representative said she is “ "honoring the request of Tim’s lawyers not to speak publicly while the legal process unfolds."

"During this period, her focus is on supporting and caring for their very large family, as they navigate this moment," the statement said. "Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time. We ask that their privacy be respected.”

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.